The Other Version of Events
by I.thought.slash.meant.horror
Summary: What if Merlin and Arthur had met when they were children? What if a mysterious illness fell over Ealdor and Merlin was blamed? What if Arthur had actually felt sorry for him? What if destiny was thrown at them in a whole new way? AU, no slash, Bromance, A/G M/M... You get the idea.
1. Prince's First Patrol

**AN: **Basically, I've been in hospital for two weeks and have nothing but my iPhone, Fanfiction and Merlin DVD's to keep me company. (My mum bought me the entire series when I was checked in)

So I had this idea for a story but it came under the idea that Merlin and Arthur met when they were younger and were friends... And then I started writing how they would meet... and various stories of them together... and then I got a few more ideas... And well, honestly, apart from taking meds and getting blood tests done. Some parts will be drabbly, some parts will be definite storylines. Think of this as a prequel to what I'm going to write, later (should time allow).

I'm not going to write episodes outright like they happened in the show. I mean, I've read those stories but lord, I usually skip over the dialogue in those fics... I might add illusions to the show, just because. It should be said this is Alternate Universe but like I said... Illusions. It'll span over ten years but, hope it doesn't feel like it.

**Pairings:** Right now? None. Later? Arthur/Merlin Bromance. Mergana (crush-like-stuff) Arwen (friends to romance etc)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Merlin... If I did, Morgana would stop smirking. I love her, but God.

* * *

**Prince's First Patrol**

_I'm not nervous,_ thought fifteen year old Arthur Pendragon seriously. _Princes do not get nervous. Knights, do not get nervous. Or scared. Or... Oh who am I kidding? Just keep your head down Arthur and never tell Morgana._

Arthur may have only been fifteen but his birthday was fast approaching (six months away) and upon the day he would gain his own group of knights to lead in and out of Camelot as he wished. He was still, technically, a squire but he was given a chance by Uther to lead a two night patrol to the borders and back.

When he had first found out about it, Arthur had been overjoyed and actually cheered when he told Leon, the nineteen year old Knight who has taught him everything he knew. He had led a few morning patrols and a hunt but those were boring now. But now that his manservant, Harry had dressed him and he was staring at his patrol all ready on their horses, he wondered what the hell he'd been excited over and wanted to go to his father and plead with him to let him head a hunt again.

He of course had heard some of the Knights talk about him. None of the had faith in the child. Most Knights were given their title at eighteen or older, but Arthur was an exception. Arthur was the Prince and in any case, he had already beaten every single one of the knights in swordplay a dozen times over. He had nothing else to learn but how to lead a patrol overnight.

Leon gave Arthur a pointed look and Arthur realised all the Knigts were awaiting instructions. "Ah, yes..." he mounted his own horse then looked to the others. Usually Sir Frenwyn was leading the patrol and he just took off and the others followed. Using the same methodology, Arthur squeezed his ankles into his horse and and he flew off.

He knew the where the trail was. He'd been on patrols since he was a boy with his father and occasionally, sneaking out under Leon's cloak. Him and the twelve other Knights under his watch rode from dawn till dusk to the edge of Camelots borders then set up camp. For the most part, conversation with Arthur lacked as they told tales and stories about their wives and women, none of which Arthur had.

So he sat and stared at the flames and chose to take first watch when everyone had fallen asleep. Just as Leon had fallen asleep, Arthur heard it. The crack of twigs and laughter. He turned his head and saw a flurry of of something. It was too dark and whatever it was had been just as dark as the forest to see what it actually was. Arthur withdrew his sword and toed Leon who looked around before he woke then raised an eyebrow in caution. "I heard something." Arthur said.

Leon frowned, "What?"

"Laughter."

Leon looked around and saw nothing. "Maybe it was one of the men."

"Why would one of the men be laughing?" Arthur hissed.

Leon opened his mouth to reply but then seemed to think better of it, closing it again. He then said, "They could be playing a practical joke."

"All the men are here. Anyway, it wasn't a man's laugh. It was a woman's." Arthur felt sure in that fact. That a woman had laughed and not a man. "You wait here. I'm going to go look."

Scurrying to his feet Leon said, "Not without me. The King'll kill me if I left you alone."

Arthur glared for a moment but then realised he was right. "Who will look after camp?"

Leon looked around and saw Sir Pellinor, a close friend who had been Knighted along side of him. "Pellinore." he whispered, waking the Knight and his good friend. "Take guard. Arthur and I are going to check something out."

With a large yawn, Pellinore agreed and Arthur and Leon headed out under the cover of night to follow the laughter Arthur had heard. They reached a valley just a way from the Knights camp and they rounded the corner and went behind a set of bushes to see a camp. There was a fire alight and though it was close to midnight, the camp was dancing as though it were a festival. "Druids." Leon breathed.

Arthur turned his head in surprise. In all his life he had never seen so many druids in one spot. He had seen many be executed, sorcerers and treasoners killed under his fathers rule, only he had never seen a camp let alone heard of one in Camelot lands. There were at least thirty druids of all ages, dancing and laughing and practicing magic, all on the edges of King Uther's domain.

Leon grabbed Arthur's arm and tugged him back and Arthur was bound to follow. They stumbled back to camp together where, much to Arthur's dismay, all the Knights were awake. Pellinore shot them an apologetic look. "Sir Arnold awoke and you two weren't here so well..." he waved his arm around as though to say, 'then this happened.'

"Where did you two go?" Sir Arnold was one of the older Knights of Camelot, having been newly Knighted during Uther's rule and a firm believer of the purge. "You were supposed to watch the camp, Arthur."

"Then I heard something." Arthur said. "So I went with Sir Leon to investigate..."

"Without telling anyone?"

"Pellinore knew." Arthur snapped, not liking the way his authority was being undermined. Just because Arnold was Uther's most trusted and loyal Knight, did not make him Arthur's. "He took watch whilst the rest of you slept. If we weren't to return, he would have put out an alert. That is protocol."

"You are a child and Leon was only Knighted because of his fathers passing, I barely believe that is a strong team to be going off in the middle if the night, searching for god knows what!" Arnold shouted.

Arthur fumed and Leon turned beet red. It was true, to an extent. On the day of his final trial to be a Knight, Leon's father had died. Leon persisted with his trial, eager to please his father but failed anyway. The knight in charge of the trail deemed Leon passed anyway as he fought with valour and the courage of a Knight, even in hardship.

Arnold was quiet eager in informing everyone that he thought it was a load of cow cud and that valour meant nothing if you couldn't fight. Though Leon was in fact a great fighter, he just got hit a lot along the way. "Well then, you wouldn't be interested in knowing what we found then." Arthur said smugly, pointing his chin up in defiance. "Guess it isn't too important. Maybe we should let my father decide. I can tell him you refused to follow my orders, resumed control of the patrol and simply ignored me and most likely, he'll have you working in the stables."

Arnold narrowed his eyes. "You're bluffing."

Arthur snorted. "I may be. But if I'm not, you won't find out about it until it's too late."

Arthur could see the cogs in Arnold's mind attempting to figure out whether or not Arthur was bluffing but the smug smile on Leon's face made him cave. "What did you find?" he asked.

Pushing down his giddy excitement for besting the old knight, Arthur tried to sound neutral as he said, "A Druid camp. There is about thirty of them. Just in a valley a little away from here."

Arnold withdrew his sword and drew up. "Then we must attack them."

Arthur's eyes went wide and he shook his head. "Wait. No. We must not attack them. They are simply camped there and in the midst of some festivities. We must tell them to leave our lands and report back to my father."

Arnold laughed along with a few other knights. "Your father has a strict law on such things. Should we find a Druid or a camp on Camelot lands, we must take no prisoners." He slid his sword back into it's sheath mocking Arthur. "Now, if you wish to go against that order because you are frightened, little prince I will obey your every command, Sire."

Arthur snapped, "I am not frightened. I simply do not understand... They appear peaceful and..."

"You speak of treason against your fathers laws, child prince." Arnold sneered. "Beware of such things."

Arthur felt his stomach turn. This was his first patrol. He was meant to uphold Camelot's law and if his father had said no prisoners... But there had been children and women in the camp! Surely they did not mean them as well. But from the hardened and reluctant faces of some of the knights, they clearly did.

"I... I..."

"Unless you wish us to go back to Camelot where we can let your father decide."

Arthur regretted every moment of defying Arnold, even though it had felt good in the moment, hearing his own words being thrown back in his face stung and the malicious grin hurt even more. "I... Well... Of course we will attack them." he said.

"And take no prisoners?" Arnold suggested.

Arthur's face fell but he twitched his head in a small nod. "Yes. We attack at dawn and we take no prisoners."

* * *

**Ages:**

Arthur: 15


	2. Ealdor's Illness

**AN: **Thank you for my lone reviewer, bubzchoc. Thoroughly like your name. It is much appreciated

**Pairings:** Bit of Will/Merlin brotherly stuff...

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Merlin... If I did, Eoin Macken would have his shirt off... A lot more.

* * *

**Ealdor's Illness**

"Dollop-head."

"Ragged-wart."

"Lily-livered."

"Piss-pot."

"Clack-dish."

"Measle."

"Puttock."

"As boring as toast."

"A poor unminded fool."

Will turned to his friend, one eyebrow slightly raised. "Let's face it Merlin, I'm just poor."

Merlin snorted at this and kept watching the cows. Most of the village of Ealdor had come down with some sort of illness and only Merlin and Will remained amongst the healthy, so it came down to them to watch the cattle and make sure bandits didn't steal them. Though honestly, Merlin had no idea what they would do if bandits did come. Will of course knew about Merlin's magic but at the same time, both of them knew not to use it openly.

The people of Ealdor hadn't seen a good old fashioned Sorcerer burning in years, and Merlin wasn't volunteering.

The illness itself was strange. Striking down people with fatigue, then dizziness then a sleep until they simply withered away. Their eyes also seemed to develop orange rings around the irises and blackened nails. It had started off with Old Man Daniels and then his wife Tessa and their children, Lorna and James. Soon after Gregor, the blacksmiths son had it and his socialite mother and quite a few women in town until their husbands and children caught it and now quite a few people were bedridden. Merlin's mother was looking after the children along with Will's mum and the two of them had somehow been left in charge with cow watching, not that either were complaining.

The further they stayed away from the illness, quite frankly the better.

"Merlin, Will!" Merlin and Will both turned to see Fenny, one of the young women from the village who was still well wave them over. Both Merlin and Will took a bit of a shine to her and the twelve year olds - twelve and a half in Merlin's boastful case - often fought for her attention. Though Merlin had another love interest, Freya from the next town over, he didn't tell Will that because his scornful glares whenever Fenny doted on him were hilarious.

They both leapt off the fence and chased each other to Fenny's doorstep, just making it in time for both of them to attempt to squish themselves through he doorway and fall, sprawled out on the floor. "Yes, Fenny?" they both chimed, still wrestling each other to see who would get up first.

The fair, dark haired Fenny chuckled then moved to let them in properly. the boys went and sat at Fenny's table, both glad to see her husband wasn't around and she poured the two soup. "Merlin, your mother has fallen ill too and is resting." Fenny said gently and Merlin almost dropped his soup.

"What?" he said, petrified. Most of the earliest cases of the illness had passed in the matter of weeks, yet as the illness progressed and there were less and less to look after the ill, that time was cut down to a week. His heart clenched up as Will patted his hand, trying to reassure him.

"Calm yourself, young one." Fenny said, sitting opposite the boys. "Now Elkhart has returned from Cendred's and reported the king will not allow us his physician. However, she said that she has an uncle -"

"Uncle Gaius." Merlin cut Fenny off. "He lives in Camelot and is the greatest physician in all of Albion." Or at least, this was what Merlin had heard. He had received letters from Gaius his whole life and often enjoyed reading them but he had never met the man. All he knew was that he wasn't really his uncle, but he called him that anyway, as his mother had in her youth.

"Here is a letter for him." Fenny said, pulling a note from underneath he robes. "There are few people left to take it, Merlin and we were wondering if you would go and fetch him."

Merlin's heart swelled with pride at being given such an important task but then he remembered Camelot's laws on magic. He shot Will a panicked look and the other boy slurped his soup and said, "I'll go too. That way Merlin won't run off scared in the woods when he hears a twig snap at night."

Fenny beamed at them. "You boys are so brave. I would go, but I must look after all those here."

Merlin grinned. "Don't worry Fenny. We'll be fine. I can read maps and Will... Well, I can read maps."

"Your face isn't worth the sun."

"Your mouth isn't worth the breath... Or the stench for that matter."

Fenny smiled at the boys but felt a little weak and fell back onto her chair. Merlin and Will looked at her, concerned but Fenny waved them off. "Go pack bags for your journey and be off. Some of these people have days left, whilst others hours."

Before Merlin could move, Will got up and helped Fenny to her bed the laid her down to rest. "No point in you being sick too, so you better rest." Fenny closed her eyes and nodded. Will leant down and kissed Fenny's cheek and Merlin watched as a fine green smoke moved from Fenny to Will. He frowned and blinked a few times and the smoke disappeared. _Must've imagined it,_ he thought to himself, shaking off the thought then grabbing Will's hand and dragging him off.

"Ooh, Fenny!" Merlin pretended to swoon once they were out of the cabin.

"Shut up, you twit." Will said, blushing.

The boys ran to their respective homes to pack a bag and Merlin passed by his mother in her bed as he entered. "Mum?" he called out to the darkness but as he approached her, Hunith waved him away. "Stay back Merlin. I don't wish you to fall ill, also."

Merlin stood back but felt his stomach clench at the sight of his sick mother. Hunith looked small and frail under her covers and paler than usual. "Are you alright, Mum?" he asked nervously.

"I will be, my boy." Hunith smiled lovingly. "Did you talk to Fenny?"

"Yes Mum."

"And are you going to Camelot?"

Merlin nodded and Hunith's face crumpled. "Oh my sweet, kind boy... I beg of you to be safe."

"I will mum."

"And do not use your magic. Keep it hidden. Keep it safe."

Merlin smiled. "I promise."

Hunith's smile faltered and she said, "I love you, so, so much my dear boy."

"I love you too, mum." And despite what she said, Merlin ran at Hunith and hugged her tight. She kissed his head and then lightly pushed him away. "Now be gone with you. You must hurry."

Merlin nodded and went and packed a rucksack with enough food for the journey. He peered over to Hunith and saw her resting her eyes. Long ago as a child, she had shown Merlin a dagger which she kept in a chest next to the dinner table which she said had belonged to his father.

He crept over and opened it, and searched, finally finding the silver dagger, with the hilt fashioned into the shape of a dragon, its wings pressed against its side. Merlin slid the dagger into his shirt and quietly closed the trunk behind him and closed the lid before packing the rest of his things.

Merlin waved goodbye to Hunith, tucking the letter in his trousers and dashed off and found Will on the edge of town. "Took you long enough, fish brains."

"Dog butt."

"Clot pole."

"Scallion."

"No fair, you read."

"I keep telling you I'll teach you."

"Nah, I got better things to do with my time. Anyway, I know enough to get me by."

They laughed on their way to Camelot, moving into the forest just across the plains. They walked through out the night and well into the next day, conversation lulling as they grew tired until finally they reached a valley.

Will looked exhausted and Merlin could sense something strange in the valley so he offered that they set up camp for the night.

Will shook his head and nodded. "We keep walking until we collapse."

"I think that's counter productive."

"I think you're counter productive."

Merlin sighed and the two of them headed into the gut of the valley. Merlin started whistling and Will shot him a look. Merlin only ever whistled when he was nervous or walking passed the graves. The two of them stopped and Merlin grabbed Will, tugging him back. "There's something here." Merlin said quietly.

Will looked around and then nudged Merlin on. "We should keep going." Will said.

The two of them kept moving forward until Merlin saw a dwindling smoke. "Shush. There's someone up ahead." The two of them crept through the woods and knelt in a bunch of bushes just a little out of the way from the smoke, but peering over it.

"No one's there." Will said quietly.

"Yes there is. Look. They're just sleeping." he pointed to a man laying in the dirt by the fire. They peered at each other and like the curious children they were, snuck closer to the camp. Merlin's strange feeling increased and he felt as though something had had happened.

"Merlin look." Will pointed to a well. Due to a mixture of not knowing exactly how far Camelot was and rushing to leave, the boys had run out of water. Merlin had tried to summon some, but his magic didn't seem to work like that.

Merlin followed Will over to the well when his stomach turned to ice and his breathing became fog in front of him. Will almost made it to the well when Merlin pulled him backwards with magic and grabbed him by the shoulders.

He turned his head around as if seeing the place for the first time. The body of the man he had thought was sleeping was driven through with an arrow, blood pooling on the ground around him. Buried between rocks, under bushes and in the well were children and women, all killed with gashes on their heads and sword marks in their chests. He sensed the people in their tents, dead and an overwhelming sense of pity and dark magic in the air.

"Will, run." Merlin said, taking his best friends hand and taking off.

There was a harsh cry like a ravens craw and when Will and Merlin looked over their shoulder, they were being chased down by a spirit. Both boys shouted and kept running as fast as they could, even well after the spirit was gone.

Neither of them were aware of how much time had passed, or even where they were headed but Merlin became aware of a tugging at his arm and when he turned, Will had collapsed.

"Oh no." Merlin fell to his knees beside Will and tried to stir him. "Will? Will, wake up." he shook his best friend until his head was lolling aback and forth almost violently. With a groan, he tried to pick Will up but the other boy weighed more than Merlin and Merlin wasn't strong enough to pick up a barrel of hay, sometimes.

"No, come on Will." Merlin groaned and saw the sheen of sweat on his forehead. He spotted Will's hand and saw the black tipped fingernails and his heart stopped. "No, no, no, no..." he forced one of his eyelids open and much to his displeasure, Will's eyes were ringed with orange.

Merlin hissed but threw his bag off his back anyway and set up a camp for Will, pushing the thin blankets they had collected over him and sticking him closer to the fire. The illness caused its victim to feel a terrible icy cold and few of the people in Ealdor appeared to have frostbite.

"Stay here." Merlin whispered, not doubting his friend would move. "I'll be back. I promise." Merlin kissed Will's forehead and was gripped with a terrible numb feeling and smelt something rotting.

Even though Merlin was gripped with exhaustion, he got up and ran as fast as his aching legs could take him. He felt as though he was weighed down by iron balls and despite watching the world move quickly beside him as he ran, he felt sluggish and too slow. He had the dagger with him and, every few yards, nicked into a tree the route he'd taken to find his way back to Will.

It was dark though and he doubted he would see it but he knew he had to.

For the second time that night, Merlin saw smoke, but this time it was accompanied by a crackle of a flame. He peered around and looked carefully and saw Knights donned in the colours of Camelot, all sombre. If Merlin had been less exhausted and panicked, he would have been more cautious but instead he fell down into the clearing, tumbling down the hill as he did so and colliding into a blonde boy a few years older than he was.

Merlin was dazed for a moment, looking up into the sky and exhaustion and delirium made him wonder why he wasn't a home sleeping, when the blonde haired, wide eyed boy came into his vision as well as a dozen swords. "Who are you?" the boy demanded.

"Merlin." he answered hoarsely, a lack of water making his voice rough.

"Merlin?" the boy frowned. "What kind of a name is Merlin?"

He felt hazy and wanted to throw up and he could almost hear Will in his ears laughing. "Not a prats name, that's for sure."

"A Prat? Who are you calling a prat?" the boy demanded.

Merlin felt winded and tilted his head back to stop the vomit coming up his throat. He remembered why he was there in the first place. "Are you... Are you from Camelot?" The boy nodded, a little wary. "Please... Please help. My village... Ealdor... Illness... Will's dying... Out there!" he pointed roughly to the forest then tried to sit up but the swords edged closer and Merlin had no strength. "We came to... Uncle Gaius..."

"You know Gaius?" the boy asked, stunned.

"Uncle." Merlin gasped. "Will! Out there! Fell down. Follow the arrows... On trees..." He patted himself down until he produced his dagger then screamed as a sword hit his hand and cut it open. The corners of Merlin's vision started to blacken and he whimpered, "I couldn't carry him." And promptly he passed out.

* * *

**Ages:**

Leon - 19

Arthur - 15

Merlin - 12

Will - 12

Reviews will make my meds taste better... Not to you know, guilt you or anything... :)


	3. When Destinies Collide

**AN: **I think it's because of the reviews and favourites that I'm out of hospital... :) But, still confined to bed. I can deal with that.

Thanks **Serpent Prince** and **Captain Ozone** for the reviews and much thanks to **Person**. I can proudly say I took their reviewing virginity. :) I'm glad you like that story thus far and after I read your review I went back and read the first two chapters and laughed at all the mistakes... What can I say? I'm sedated _and_ am typing this on an iPhone that keeps insisting 'knights' is spelt 'knigts'... There are only so many times I can be bothered to notice but I'm trying with this chapter. I actually put my glasses on though I'm pretty crap at grammar. :)

And BIG thanks to **Bubzchoc**... I like returning reviewers.

Oh and thanks to all of the above for the well wishes. It's working.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Merlin... My initials are BBC though, so maybe I can figure something out...

* * *

**When Destinies Collide**

The day had passed and night had fallen since Arthur's orders against the druid camp were followed and the entire camp was slaughtered. Arthur mentally wanted to say something better than slaughter, but there was no other word to describe what had happened.

Hours had passed and he could still hear their cries, see their faces. He looked at Leon but Leon wouldn't meet his eye, haunted by the ghosts of the children... Arthur felt sick. There had been so many children. Toddlers and babies even. Crying in tents, slaughtered.

He winced as he once again used that word.

But was there anything else he could say?

Could _anything_ else describe what was done?

Never in his life had Arthur been so angry and confused by his own actions. His father would be proud of him, this he knew. He could already hear the declaration of a feast in his head, but did Arthur deserve that? He slaughtered those people.

Slaughtered.

Arthur was so lost in his sorrow filled thoughts, that he didn't hear the snap of branches behind him until there was a tumbling sound. He looked up and saw a child who looked around eleven, tumbling down the hill and falling flat on his back in front of him. Arthur, still dazed and feeling sick with guilt peered over the boy as all his knights pointed their swords at his neck.

"Who are you?" Arthur asked, a little panicked as ramblings went through his head. _Is this boy a Druid? Did someone manage to survive?_

"Merlin." the young boy answered, his voice thick and coarse.

"Merlin?" Arthur couldn't help but ask. He had never heard of such a ridiculous name before in his life. "What kind of a name is Merlin?"

Blue eyes below him glazed over with humour and delirium. "Not a prats name, that's for sure."

"A Prat? Who are you calling a prat?" A moment later he realised how childish he sounded and flinched.

It seemed the boy had more serious matters to speak of as the amusement died from his expressive eyes and they were filled with sanity once more. "Are you... Are you from Camelot?" he asked.

The Knights all shares uneasy expressions, obviously thinking the boy was a Druid too. Arthur hesitated but then nodded, the panic the boy was in making him want to help the child. "Please... Please help. My village... Ealdor... Illness... Will's dying... Out there!" he started waving his hand about, never resting on an actual location but vaguely indicating to where he came from. He tried to get up but the swords moved closer to him and he fell back from exhaustion anyhow. The boy - Merlin - tried to continue. "We came to... Uncle Gaius..."

Arthur blinked in recognition, as did a few of the other Knights who were familiar with the physician. "You know Gaius?" the Arthur asked.

"Uncle." Merlin was gasping for oxygen, turning slightly blue in the face. "Will! Out there! Fell down. Follow the arrows... On trees..." He started to search for something on himself and eventually produced a dagger. Before Arthur could stop him, Arnold swiped his sword across and hit Merlin's hand, leaving a long thick cut on his wrist and open palm and sending the dagger falling to the ground. Merlin scream but soon stopped and resumed his gasping and with an added whimpering, long enough to say, "I couldn't carry him." Before he slackened on the ground and passed out.

Arthur dropped to his knees and pulled the boys head up to his lap. Honestly, Arthur never paid much attention when Gaius had tried to teach him basic healing and medicines so was quite hopeless at it. But he did see the dry chapped lips and concluded the boy was thirsty and somehow had to manage the heavy bleeding in his wrist. "Get me some bandages and water." Arthur said immediately.

"Sire." Arnold said, frowning. "You can't be serious. He is obviously a Druid."

"He is no Druid. He is Gaius's nephew." Arthur snapped. There was something about this boy that made Arthur want - no _need_ to save him. "I do not believe the Court Physician would be too pleased if we delivered his kin, dead from a lack of water, do you _Sir Arnold?"_

Before Arnold could say anything, Leon picked up the boys dagger and inspected it before handing it to Arthur. "Sire, there is sap and bark on this dagger. I believe the boy was marking his way."

Arthur peered at the dagger in his own hands now and saw it was of fine make. The handle was made from silver and set in the shape of a dragon with two crystals for the eyes. It was more expensive than what a boy of his class should be carrying and dulled from improper use.

Arthur thought back to what Merlin had said and understood it. "Go search all the trees. Follow the arrows. If what he said was true, his friend is out there too." Pellinore, Frenwyn and Belevedere all went searching, taking torches with them. Reece and Garreth provided Arthur with water and bandages and Samuel helped care for the boy.

He cleaned up the wound on his hand then bound it as best as he could. "Gaius can tend to it better." he said but for now the bleeding had slowed.

Arthur then tried getting the boy to drink but he was out cold and started shivering. "Sire, you should not stand so close." Reece said. "Did he not say his village has succumbed to some illness."

As Sir Reece spoke, Arthur noticed he was much too close to the boy, letting him use his lap as a pillow. Even if the boy hadn't been ill, Arthur was a Prince and such affections weren't allowed. Arthur went to move but the boy reached out in his slipped and grabbed the excess material around the knee of his trousers and held firm.

He looked down in shock then up at the other knights. He tried prying the fingers off from himself but then Merlin took a firm grip on his wrist and murmured, "Run." before tossing over.

Clearly in the grips of a nightmare, Arthur couldn't shake him off. He finally relented and made himself comfortable on the grass thinking that for this instance, his Princely duties shouldn't count. After all, he was clearly comforting a child. "He is fine. I believe he is simply exhausted."

His earlier suspicions about Merlin's friend were confirmed when Pellinore, Frenwyn and Belvedere returned hours later with another young, shivering boy in their arms, as well as packs. "They were a good two hours walk away. We thought it was a trap until we saw the fire. He ran all that way by himself and there was no water or food in their packs. And Ealdor is a good three days walk from here, on the borders of Essetir."

Arthur looked down at the boy who had curled up with a blanket tossed over him and his eyes squished up in pain. "Mum?" he mumbled and retangled his fingers into Arthur's trousers, gripping tighter than before.

Arthur winced. He'd never taken care of someone before or had someone seek comfort from him. He looked up to Leon who had, more or less, taken care of Arthur all his life and Leon went over and gently pried the boys fingers from Arthur's lap and guided him over to his own.

Even in his sleep, Merlin seemed to know the difference and started to thrash, so Arthur had quickly pulled Merlin back to his lap where once more the boy rested soundly. He moved his hand down and Merlin's grip moved to his fingers and held him there.

The second boy, it seemed, had no idea what was going on and was out cold, not seeking care or anything but rest. Neither of them woke up, even the next day as the knights and Arthur prepared to leave. Leon hoisted Merlin up and rested him in the horse's saddle in front of Arthur and Pellinore did the same on his own horse with the other boy, Will.

They reached Camelot by noon and Leon and Pellinore rushed Will and Merlin to Gaius while Arthur went with Arnold and Frenwyn to report what had happened. For the most part, Frenwyn spoke evaluating Arthur on his successes as a Patrol Leader to the King. Up until then, Arthur had forgotten that the purpose of the patrol as to have himself evaluated and he shivered to think at how awfully he had done.

But Frenwyn gave him a good review, nonetheless and Arthur added whenever he could, explaining how he called the order to wipe out the Druid camp and how he had ordered to not have Merlin killed.

"I believe he was a Druid, sire." Arnold added unkindly.

Arthur glared at Arnold then turned back to Uther. "He is not a Druid, father. He is Gaius's nephew."

Uther looked surprised. "Gaius has a nephew?"

"He said he was from Ealdor and that he was searching for his Uncle Gaius in Camelot."

Uther started to frown but then his eyes lit up with recognition. "He must be that woman's boy... You know the one. She lived with Gaius during the summers."

Arnold choked on something. "Hunith?" he spluttered.

Arthur was confused. He had no idea who this Hunith woman was. "Who?"

"Hunith." Arnold said, looking between the King and Arthur. "For a time, Gaius's ward. Her mother died in childbirth and her father from an illness Gaius treated him for. She stayed with Gaius briefly before moving back to Ealdor with her aunt but she visited Gaius every summer for years. They were good friends and she would often call him Uncle." Arnold looked like he wanted to say more but Frenwyn stamped on his foot to shut him up.

The action went unnoticed by Uther who was in deep thought. "Arthur, check on the boy and his friend and tell Gaius to report to me once they are in sound health." Arthur nodded and bowed before he went to leave but was stopped at the door. "And Arthur. A great feast will be prepared tonight in honour of your victory against the Druids."

Arthur felt his stomach churn as he grimly thought that this was what he had expected and nodded curtly before going on his way. He eventually found himself in Gaius's chambers and saw him struggling to hold down an active patient. "But you don't understand!"

"I understand perfectly well, Merlin, now if you will..."

"But if he wakes up and I'm not there..."

"You are across the room from him."

"Please Gaius. His father is dead, his mother beats him... I'm all he has."

Arthur walked around Gaius and decided to intervene. "Merlin lay down." he commanded and instead of listening, Merlin just looked up in surprise.

"Quite honestly, I'm not listening to him. Why would I listen to you?" he stated.

"Do you not remember me?" he asked. Merlin shook his head and stared at him like a deer. With a sigh, Arthur said, "I am Prince Arthur of Camelot. I am the one who found you... Or more exactly, you found me when you fell into my camp and you fell asleep in my lap."

Merlin's mouth went wide into a circle and then he crushed his face together in thought. "Did I call you a prat?"

Arthur winced. "Ugh… yes."

"Ah. Mother told me Will was a bad influence. I didn't know who you were."

"It's alright." he said, remaining as princely as ever. It took a moment for him to realise, Merlin hadn't exactly apologised, but he took this as peasant manners. "Now I advise you to lie down and stay still for Gaius. Your friend is just a little way always. You can always shout and tell him to turn his head if he wakes up."

Merlin nodded and laid back down on the bed and Gaius looked surprised. He started treating Merlin and then said, "So go over with me again the symptoms of this illness." Gaius said once he had finished checking Merlin over. His wrist was bandaged from elbow to fingers, thick gauze under all the bandage to protect the deep cut.

Merlin sighed and said, "I don't know how it starts. It's not by spending time together, it's not through touch or the air or the water. Animals aren't affected by it either, it seems. The people start out fatigued then just fall asleep with a high fever until they die. They also get orange rings around their eyes." Arthur listened intently then saw the boy hesitate. "I... I saw something. When Will kissed Fenny before we left... She had fallen ill, see and when you rest the ill, we kiss their foreheads. When Will kissed Fenny, a green... Spirit? Drifted from her to him."

Gaius frowned at his. "Have you seen this before?"

Merlin shook his head. "No... No. Mum was infected and she kissed me and nothing happened. But..." he trailed off. "I think I'm infected."

Arthur moved back without a second thought as Merlin went onto explain, "When I went to find help, I kissed Will's temple and I felt something vile wash over me and smelt something bad."

Gaius leant forward. "Tell me, exactly what did it smell like?"

Arthur watched as Merlin's face scrunched up in thought. "Like lemons, left out too long in the sun and rotted. And mixed with burnt wood. Not the sweet wood either. The smell of dead wood, bug covered wood."

Gaius thought for a moment then said, "I know I have read about this before, the burning and the smell of rotted citrus, and a disease passed on by affection. But I do not know which book."

Arthur looked up and around Gaius's chambers which were pretty much an extension of the library. "How will you find it amongst here?" Arthur asked.

"I'm a fast reader." Merlin offered.

Arthur looked at him sceptically. "Honestly? You can read?"

Merlin frowned. "Why? Can't you?"

His eyes grew wide and infuriated. "Of course I can read! I am the prince."

"I was just asking." Merlin retorted, rolling his eyes.

Arthur found himself growing annoyed but said nothing as Gaius spoke first. "How long until you fall asleep?"

"If all the other illnesses are anything to go by..." Merlin thought about it and said, "One day before I'm bed ridden, two days before I fall asleep. In another week from then, I will die."

Gaius ran his hand through Merlin's hair as Arthur's stomach turned to ice. "We will not let that happen."

Merlin ducked his head down, studying the floor. "Uncle Gaius, mother was bedridden when I left... That was two days ago."

"Then we have a week." he said, patting the boys back. Merlin nodded and got out of bed.

Arthur saw his right arm was done up in a sling and remembered the dagger. He dug into his pocket and found it but stopped himself before handing it to him. He had to wonder where the dagger had come from. Clearly from his frayed and dirty clothing, he couldn't have afforded it. Maybe it was an heirloom... Maybe he stole it.

Unsure, Arthur let his fingers uncurl from the dagger and chose no to give I back to him. At least, not yet.

* * *

Review, and I'll give you a virtual cookie.


	4. Little Women

**A/N: **Two updates in one day... Well, ain't I awesome? Well, no I'm just pretending I'm asleep so my aunt doesn't try and talk to me about my health and well being... Love the woman, but once she gets on the topic of herbal medicines, there is no stopping her.

**Captain Ozone, **thank you for the squeal. And the remorse is pretty much the only reason why he's helping Merlin, (for now)... :) **Person**, yes. There is a baddie. But it's not what you think... Ughhh... How to explain with not explaining? This is a prequel to what's to come. Introduces all the main players of my fic... And there's a bit more of Merlin/Arthur banter in this chapter. Not like insults, just 'Who the hell do you think you are?' between the boys. They've just met. Let's ease them in.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Merlin... I just don't.

* * *

**Little Women**

As Merlin got up from the bed to help Gaius with the research, he felt a wave of dizziness crash over him and as he went to fall, Gaius steadied him. _Didn't the people say that when they first felt ill, they felt as though their dinners would reappear in their mouths?_ At that thought he thought maybe his dinner would pass through his mouth if he didn't stop thinking about it and Merlin only just suppressed a gag.

When Gaius released him it took a few more moments for Merlin to get his legs to stop wobbling but when they did he went over to where Gaius was already pulling apart books. If there was one thing Merlin was good at it was reading. It wasn't his favourite thing to do, but he was one of the few people in his village who could read, picking up the habit when he read Gaius's letters with his mother.

When he was four years old he searched for books in Ealdor, but only the old read, and their books were often on the village accounts. So Hunith wrote to Gaius and he started sending him books and soon, Merlin was reading everything, from books of science to books of lore and often would read to the other children and send them home with tales that frightened their parents.

He stumbled over to he desk - Merlin's gangly legs always too much for him to handle - to sit at the work bench and said, "Gaius? Do you remember that book on medicines you sent me? The one with herbs and their uses."

Gaius looked down from above him, vaguely surprised as though he hadn't actually expected Merlin to read. "Yes?"

"Well we used that and none of the normal herbs work. So we made one of those sniffing things... The ones that wake you up. Still, nothing."

Gaius leant forward and peered at Merlin curiously. "Could you show me what poultices you used?"

Merlin nodded and pushed passed Arthur to go to Gaius's work station. He stumbled again from being dizzy only this time and Arthur steadied him with an arm under his elbow. "Is falling over a common occurance in your life?" Arthur asked.

Merlin looked up at him, quite surprised he was still there at all. _Isn't he a prince? Don't princes have better things to do than sit in a physicians chambers?_ He shrugged it off. Honestly, who was he to say? He had no experience if Royal living. "Will says that I only have two positions in life. Flat on my face and up on my feet. He says, despite that I'm usually spending most of my time somewhere in between."

Arthur snorted. "Well from what I can tell, he's right."

"Merlin." Gaius called urgently.

Merlin sighed and went over, doing as instructed and showing the poultices stuffed with mint that Merlin efficiently turned to paste and then used to bind with some other foul smelling herbs. Only then did he start to bite his lip. "Quite honestly, it's not much from memory. I did it mostly from the books you sent me. I mean, I don't remember what else I put after that."

Gaius smiled gently. "I think I do, and I believe I know why it didn't work. It is a brew made to awake those who have fainted and those ill from a cold. Usually they are not in such a deep sleep as your friend Will is. Though I applaud you for your skill. Do you practice with the books I send you?"

Merlin shrugged. "There's not much to do in Ealdor except for make sleeping draughts to put in the cows breakfast and watch them fall." he grinned a little at that, then wiped the grin off his face when Gaius who him a disapproving look.

Arthur laughed. Again, Merlin looked up and wondered what he was still doing there, but said nothing. He was in Camelot and this was the prince. If Arthur caught scent of the fact he had magic, he would die by fire before he could be cured. On the upside, he'd probably be asleep through out the whole process.

"I believe this illness is one of sorcery." Gaius said, hissing the word like it was a conspiracy.

Merlin flinched and shook his head, quickly saying, "There are no sorcerers in Ealdor. Everyone in Ealdor is scared of magic. There was a Druid camp two days walk from where we lived and they were not welcome to trade with us, even when our crops were all dead and we had no food for the winter."

Merlin felt shame rise up in him as he thought of how many had died that winter all because the people were too scared of magic. Him and his mother had gone days without food and just being reminded of how foolish his village had been made him burn with anger. It made him wonder what they would do if anyone had found out about his gifts.

Will had accepted him, but they were life long friends, and always would be. He looked up to Will may not have understood Merlin's magic but didn't hate him for it.

Merlin noticed that Arthur had a sick look on his face and he sat down across from Merlin and Gaius before he could throw up. Merlin wondered why curiously, but then a knocking at the door made him, Gaius and Arthur turn. "Come in." Gaius called out.

The door was pushed open and a dark skinned serving girl with curly locks around Merlin's age pushed open the door and from behind her came a pale girl, also Merlin's age with long tendrils of black hair and pale green eyes.

Merlin's jaw dropped and his heart pounded in his chest at a million miles an hour. The pale beauty walked in and she looked up I surprise to see Arthur. "When did you get back?" she asked, a small lilt in her accent.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "This morning."

"Well then, I suppose you proved your manhood, then?" the girl raised one of her perfect eyebrows in an arch and Merlin wondered who she was. He stumbled forward as he moved towards her but tripped over his pant legs.

Before he could hit the floor, Arthur grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him back up to his feet. "You weren't kidding when you said you fall over a lot, were you?"

"I rarely kid about falling over." Merlin said absently too busy staring at the female newcomer.

The girl noticed him for the first time. "And who are you?"

Merlin opened to his mouth to speak but Arthur interrupted. "This is Merlin."

Without meaning to, Merlin snapped at the prince, "I do have my own mouth to reply with."

The girl smirked at Merlin as Arthur made a face. "Excuse me?"

"Sire." Merlin added as an afterthought then word at the sound coming from his mouth. Not knowing Arthur well enough, Merlin didn't know that the face Arthur made was one that begged its many onlookers to ask themselves if they knew who he was addressing. Not being apart of Camelot or even a citizen of it's lands, Merlin couldn't have cared less about the Prince as long as he wasn't burning on the pyre.

The girl threw her head back. "I am the Lady Morgana." she said, smiling. "I am the Kings ward."

Arthur scoffed. "You're not the Lady Morgana yet." he corrected her. "You're just Morgana."

The girl marched over to them, balling up her fists by her side as if prepared for war. She was quite tall for her age, a head taller than Merlin, and made it to Arthur's shoulder whereas Merlin managed to just meet his chest. "In three and a half years, people from all across the five Kingdoms will call me Lady Morgana and they will all adore me." Her eyes blazed but Arthur just snorted.

"You? You think they'll adore you? Stop kidding yourself, Morgana." Arthur snorted.

Morgana looked as though she was about to kill but Gaius shouted, "Enough, children." he scolded. When both turned to him accusingly he pointed at both with stern fingers. "You are not yet and Lady and you are not yet the Crown Prince, and both of you are disturbing me. Merlin and I need to work now. We are on a strict deadline."

As if on cue, a wave of dizziness struck Merlin and his knees gave out underneath him. He would have hit the ground had Arthur not hooked his hands underneath his armpits from behind. "Are you _ever_ vertical?"

"Are you ever not a prat?" Merlin garbled weakly, but no one quite heard him.

"Sit him down." he heard Gaius say, but things were spinning a little until they found solid ground again at the table.

Merlin looked up and flashed everyone's concerned face a grin. "I should probably start reading now."

"What's the matter with him?" Morgana asked, curiously staring.

"An illness of sorcery has struck down his village and I brought him back here to help him save it." Arthur said, a little smugly. Merlin felt as though he was watching Lorna and James, rest their souls, trying to outdo each other during the village tournament - which were just a bunch of boring games for the village children Merlin and Will detested but Hunith forced them to participate in.

"I'll help." Morgana piped up, having greatly approved of Merlin's awestruck attitude. "Gwen and I only came to see if you wanted herbs collected anyway. We were quite bored, weren't we Gwen?"

The serving girl bowed and nodded. "Yes milady."

Her serving girl scurried along after her but stood a little away from them, no one quite noticing her. Merlin only now took her in with her butter yellow dress that was hand stitched and had small floral embroideries on it. "Hi. I'm Merlin." he said, waving at her.

She giggled a little and blushed. "I heard Prince Arthur."

Arthur snorted from behind them. Merlin just frowned at him then looked back at the girl. "I'm not quite a fan of people introducing me. Your name is Gwen, right?"

"Yes." she smiled gently and her cheeks burnt the colour of pink roses. "I am Morgana's handmaiden."

Merlin grinned. "Pleasure to meet you." Gwen giggled and Morgana looked disapproving of their interaction but held her tongue.

Morgana and Gwen, true to their words helped with research though Merlin found out quickly that Gwen could not read nearly as well as him and Merlin was left to wonder to himself why reading was such a gift amongst the poor.

After a while, even Arthur started to help them, grumbling that they were working too slow. "Sire, do you not have duties to attend to?" Gaius asked, once they'd been through half the library.

Arthur shook his head. "Father said to check up on Merlin and for you to go to him as soon as you have found a cure. That was all."

Gaius sighed and apart from occasionally calling the older man over to assess whether they had found the right thing or not, no one really spoke. Occasionally Merlin would gaze over at Will but turn back to his reading, determined to find the cure.

But his vision was blurring.

He had been walking for two days straight without rest, then ran from the camp filled with the dead for what felt like days until he reached the knights of Camelot. He had barely eaten and was so tired he felt his face might fall off.

So by mid afternoon, the fact that Merlin was constantly trying not to fall asleep was no surprise to him. But when he outright collapsed by the evening and all he could think of was that Ealdor customs be damned, he shouldn't have kissed Will's forehead when he left him.

* * *

Arthur couldn't help the fact that he _needed_ to help Merlin. Ever since the boy collided with him in the forest and gripped onto him for dear life, Arthur felt it his duty to ensure that the boy was properly cared for. He convinced himself he was performing his duty by ensuring the boy recovered but after the Druid camp and his immense guilt he felt as though he had been given a chance to redeem himself through Merlin.

He was tired from a sleepless night but he'd stayed awake for longer and was now pushing through the books, trying to find something similar to what Merlin described. He couldn't deny he was hungry, his stomach growling for a descent meal but Morgana hadn't budged at all and he'd be damned if he caved before her.

For a second he stared at his father's ward and smiled, remembering their childhood together. They had grown up in each others homes, Goloris his godfather and Morgana more like a sibling than a ward. But the two seemed to always bring out the worst in each other and were constantly fighting, on more than one occasion needing to be separated from physically assaulting each other. But at the end of the day, he would kill for her and she would no doubt do the same for him.

He snapped out of his thoughts as he caught sight of everyone else studiously reading but the serving girl who just stared over her mistresses shoulders at the pictures. Candles lit the physicians chambers and Merlin kept tilting his head forward and blinking his eyes. Arthur watched for just a moment and saw when Merlin fell forward into his book and his hand fell out underneath his head and knocked over his goblet filled with water.

"Merlin!" Arthur turned to Gaius who had exclaimed the boys name and Morgana started screaming. Her serving maid - whose name he still couldn't remember - gasped, knocking back vials as Arthur and Gaius went to Merlin's side.

"What's wrong with him?" Morgana shouted, rushing over too, as the nervous maid backed away.

Arthur shoved Morgana back too when she got too close. "Give Gaius some room."

After sticking her tongue out, Morgana backed away, clutching Gwen's hand when she stumbled into the serving girl. "I think his exhaustion has caught up with him." Gaius said, but when he opened one of Merlin's bright blue eyes, there was a thick ring of orange around the iris. "Oh dear."

"What?" Arthur asked. "What is it?"

"His illness is progressing much faster than Merlin said it had in the village. If you would Arthur, take him into my old apprentices chambers. There is not much I can do for him with no cure and the table is hardly a place to rest him. There is another bed in there and I cannot carry him."

Arthur grimly nodded and bent down, lifting Merlin up as easily as he would a small child. The boy was almost stick like, with no meat on his bones. _Do they not feed the people in Cendred's Kingdom?_ Arthur thought to himself but said nothing as he had to move Merlin.

He went into the second chamber where Rowan, Gaius's ex-apprentice had lived and put him in the bed. He was just going to leave him above the sheets but then Merlin shivered and in his sleep grasped onto Arthur's shirt and buried himself into it. A small part of him wanted to hit the boy for making his heart twinge in such a way but he was small and innocent looking and determined to find a cure for his village.

Maybe Merlin _was_ his redemption. Maybe if Arthur could help save the life of one innocent boy, his nightmarish acts would become a distant memory. He lifted Merlin up again, clutching onto him as he pulled back the covers on the bed and put Merlin down inside, then pried off his fingers and covered him.

Arthur decided then and there he would not let Merlin die and do everything in his power to help him and make it up to the Gods. He would save the village of Ealdor and find the cure and he would deliver it to Merlin's people and regain faith in his prince hood.

"Got it!" Arthur looked over his shoulder and went out into the main chamber where Morgana was jumping up and down, a book in her hand. "Gaius, I found the illness! I found it and there is a cure written right next to it."

Arthur smacked his head. Or Morgana would find the cure and Arthur would deliver it. Whatever. As long as he found his redemption.

* * *

Those cookies from last chapter are still up for grabs.

**Ages:**

Leon - 19

Arthur - 15

Morgana - 12 (almost thirteen)

Merlin - 12

Gwen - 12

Will - 12


	5. Revival

**A/N: **Thank you **SuperHeroFanGurl**, **Mediatrix**,** Guest **and **Bubzchoc. A maze Thing**, I'm glad you noted about Arthur and as for the rest, it shall be revealed soon. **Person**, lol... This weekend I'm going to go over all these chapters and re-edit them. I already started last night, but I want to get out this first part. **LadyM** I watched the preview for Season 5 last night and was grinning like a mad woman all night. Your English is fine... English isn't my first language either, surprisingly. Up until I was three, I spoke Turkish then my parents taught me English. Randomly, I speak horrible Turkish now.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Merlin... I do own a massive collection of Arthurian books... But I do not own Merlin.

* * *

**Revival**

Gwen and Morgana were leaning over a book, Morgana looking excited and Gwen typically nervous. The first problem was, that she couldn't read. Therefore she had no idea whether Morgana was attracting what the timid Gwen deemed unwanted attention or not.

The second was that her mistress had seemingly forgotten that they had been to Gaius's chambers to collect a vial of her sleeping draught, which she has run out of the night before.

But, she reasoned, Merlin was obviously in dire need of help and Gwen never wished to turn someone who needed help away.

When Gaius came over after Morgana alerted possibly the whole of Camelot to her success, he read the pages over their shoulder then collected the book into his lap to read more carefully. "Oh no."

"What is it Gaius?" Gwen asked nervously, in fear of the answer.

He sat at his workbench and looked up to Arthur who came to assist them. "Did you find it?"

"Yes... I did. It is an ancient spell, spread through the touch of the lips. A sorceress once heard of her husband receiving too much attention from the women in town so cursed him that whomever kissed him would fall into a deadly sleep. The curse however spread and now..."*

"Now what?" Prince Arthur looked half panicked. She had grown up working for the Camelot castle, her mother being apart of the staff for Sir Lewis and his family, Lady Emilie and Sir Leon. In all those years she had never seen Arthur care for another human being.

But, being a servant, Gwen was more observant than the keenest of hunters. On the outside he weakly wore the usual cocky smarm but she saw in his eyes there was something essentially broken within him. Gwen did not know what or why but she could see he was in a lot more pain than he let on, or even showed and the newcomers from Ealdor were more important to him than any of the village problems had been before.

"Does it say how to rid them of the spell, Gaius?" Gwen asked quietly, unable to make out the words on the page.

"Only that there is a potion, brewed with some very rare ingredients. I have them all but I do not know if I have enough for a village."

"For now make enough for Merlin and Will." Arthur said. "Then they and I and a group of knights can go fetch the rest."

Gaius looked like he was going to object but then grimaced, looking down at the potion again. "I think that will be the only way."

Night had truly fallen by the time Gaius had finished making the potion and Gwen and Morgana helped however they could, running for water, caring for Merlin and Will and even bringing down food from the kitchens.

Arthur just sat by and stood vigil, waiting for the potion to be done.

Gwen hurried along, hoping her hasty work meant a hasty recovery for Merlin and his village. She was walking to Merlin's room when she didn't see the step and fell into Arthur, who had taken up guarding the space in Merlin's doorway. "Apologies sire. I wasn't paying attention." She started collecting the extra blankets she had spilt over the floor and Arthur just watched her.

"No worries ugh... Umm... I am so sorry, but I've forgotten your name."

Again. Gwen added the last part and bristled. She had been working for the Lady Morgana since she became Uther's ward, two and a half years ago, almost to day. Before that she had often trailed behind Leon and her brother. She had told Arthur her name dozens of times and Morgana and Leon and Elyan always addressed her in front of him, directly calling her by her 'Gwen' possibly a thousand times but always, always, always, he forgot. "Guinevere." she snapped, rarely using her full name.

"Really?" he said a little astonished. "I could have sworn it was shorter than that."

"My friends call me Gwen." she added. "But you can call me Guinevere, if you remember... Sire." she added, curtly wondering how once again she'd let her anger get the better of her. Her father always said she had a temper.

"Alright then... Guinevere." he said, a little lost for words at her mood swing.

Before either of them could embarrass themselves more, Gwen rushed into Merlin's bedroom to cover him up with warmer blankets, the physicians spare chamber notorious for being one of the coldest rooms in the palace.

The old apprentice, Rowan furiously complained about it all the time. He would say the forest floor would be warmer, as long as there was fire burning. Gwen was resigned to agree with him as upon entering the room the temperature declined.

She huddled Merlin in blankets and softly pushed the hair off his face. She knew her mistress took a liking to the boy as soon as he snapped at Arthur, but Gwen decided she liked him too when he formally introduced himself to her rather than letting Morgana's chattering be the only way he knew her name. Most workers of her class let the nobles do all the introductions for them.

She could already tell Merlin wasn't like that.

She pushed some sweaty hair off his forehead and smiled. He was quite handsome in his own way. She giggled at the thought. She was much smaller than him but she knew him to be about her age. Gwen had a knack for ages.

Though Merlin, like her, looked too young for his age. Most boys did before sixteen. It was why their marrying age was so much older for men. Because it took them so much longer to grow up, or so her mother said.

"But don't worry, my Gwennie. By the time a man three years your youth is eighteen he will most likely look three years your elder. Women are given youth, whilst men are given strength. Just never let them use that against you."

Gwen had been torn apart when her mother passed and somehow she became mother to her brother and father, caring for them and taking up a job to be Morgana's handmaiden when she arrived.

She was lucky that her and Morgana were a little over a two months in age difference, or else she wouldn't have been hired as she was also hired to be her friend, though Gwen never claimed her pay was for that. She enjoyed being Morgana's friend.

"Gwen?" she turned and saw her mistress coming into the chambers. "Gaius says he will need water from the well and as it is late, Arthur will go to get it but he doesn't know where the well is. Could you show him?"

Gwen nodded and got up, following Morgana hurriedly out of the room. "How about you both go with Arthur." Gaius offered as soon as they stepped into the main chamber. "We will need more than one bucket and it doesn't look very proper for Arthur to be escorting a young handmaiden around after hours. Then you two can walk Gwen home. It is much too late and Thomas will be worried."

Gwen blushed at the scandal and then thought of her father. He would be worried. And Thomas had asked Gaius to watch out for Gwen in the castle and usually he walked her home when she worked late. "Thank you Gaius."

Arthur looked a bit annoyed but decided to do as he said, obviously noting the weariness on Gaius's face. Gwen knew he was looking for an excuse to be alone and Arthur had caught up on that too.

They left with Morgana who asked, "Why do you reckon he wants to be alone?"

"Probably had enough of you." Arthur replied casually.

Morgana poked him in the ribs. "You're cruel."

"No I'm not." he grinned then turned to, much to her horror, Gwen. "Am I cruel, Guinevere?" Gwen didn't reply, unsure of what to do and frankly quite stunned he remembered her name. "See? She's lost for words at how you could assume such a thing."

Morgana laughed but quickly grew serious as a new thought gripped her mistress. "How'd you find Merlin and that other boy anyway?"

"Think his name was Will." Arthur said quietly, becoming serious. "Merlin ran head first into our camp crying for help and claiming Gaius was his uncle."

"He's Gaius's nephew?" Gwen spoke up only to realise her place as a silent handmaiden a moment later.

Neither ward nor son of Uther took any heed. "Not by blood. His mother was once Gaius's ward. Apparently knew father too."

"Why haven't we heard of her?" Morgana asked.

"Dunno. Best ask father that."

Morgana contemplated this for a moment then looked panicked. "Maybe we should explain to him first why we weren't at the feast!"

Arthur stopped in his step and Gwen clutched her chest in fright. _I am going to lose my job!_

* * *

As soon as Arthur, Morgana and Gwen left, Gaius rushed into his apprentice's chambers to check on Merlin. The boy was fast asleep and didn't look as though he would be rising anytime soon.

As soon as he met him, Gaius knew who he was. He had his mother's features, her tenderness and caring but Gaius had treated Balinor as a child and could see his striking good looks with the boys jaw set and nose. There was no way this was boy wasn't the son of Balinor and Hunith and as Leon named him, "Merlin." upon arrival, the name was already on the old man's lips.

Once Leon had been dismissed, Gaius found a letter on Merlin's person from Hunith, describing the illness and warning Gaius of Merlin's magic.

He had always known of course, which was why he never visited Ealdor.

Uther knew that Balinor and Hunith had once been friends and knew Balinor had been sighted in Ealdor, though Hunith had denied involvement with him, even to Gaius until she could no longer control Merlin's magic.

When Merlin had woken up, it seemed the boy had his father's stubbornness and persistence. Then Arthur had come and Morgana and Gwen and he found himself babysitting them all as they all found a common determination. _Let me correct myself. Merlin wished to save his people, Morgana was simply bored of stitching, Gwen would do anything her mistress said and Arthur..._

He hadn't quite figured Arthur out as of yet. He wouldn't say the boy was selfish. There had been a small bird he had nursed back to health as a ten year old and he had his mothers kindness in that regard. But later Uther had that very same bird killed to teach Arthur a lesson in respect when he spoke out against his father lashing a servant.

But he saw something in Arthur had changed. He couldn't put his fingers quite on what and he hadn't heard about his first real patrol as of yet.

For now he had more dire concerns. Returning to his chambers, he turned to the potion and watched it boil. The potion called for magic and Gaius did not have a lot of it. He glared over the potion and muttered long forgotten words in the Old Religion, stirring as he did so.

His eyes made blurred shapes in front of him as magic flooded through him for the first time since the purge. Normally he would not restore to such measures but Hunith was the closest thing to blood family Gaius had and the fact her boy laid in his apprentice chambers dying scared the daylight out of him.

_Surely Uther would understand. For Hunith..._ Gaius bit his lip and knew that should Uther ever find out about certain things, there would be no forgiveness for Hunith and definitely no mercy for Merlin.

He quickly filled a vial with potion, the same orange as the victim's eyes and prayed heavenward his magic was strong enough. The first dose he gave was to the other boy, Will, as Merlin had named him.

He watched and waited and finally after minutes, his eyes fluttered open and the orange was gone from the rims. "Who are you?" The boy asked, brows bunching up.

"Gaius. Here. Drink this." he passed on a cup of water, laced with sleeping potion.

Will drank greedily, thirsty from his trip then pulled the cup away from his mouth with a proud smile. "So I found you then. Good. Now you can heal Fenny and Merlin's mum."

Gaius smiled. "I might just do that."

"Good. Where is the blithering buttcake anyway? Where's Merlin?"

"Resting, as should you be." Gaius patted his chest lightly. "Now sleep. I'll wake you later."

Will mumbled something about wanting to stay awake but couldn't fight off Gaius's sleeping potion. He got up and went into the other chambers and sat Merlin up, giving him the potion too. Only Merlin stayed asleep, most of his exhaustion brought on by himself and not the magic, and only by peering into his eyes did Gaius see he was cured.

As he exited his chambers he was met by the eyes of Arthur, shifting from foot to foot worriedly. "Father saw Morgana and I coming up from the lower town and ordered her to bed. I told him I still had to fetch you water and he allowed me to come again but I mustn't stay. He's furious I forgot about the feast."

"Feast?"

Arthur shied away then unwillingly replied, "For my first patrol. He was organising a feast but no one could find me or thought to look for me here." Arthur dug his toe into the ground beneath him, his face avoiding something. "How is he? Merlin and the other boy?"

Gaius smiled fondly. "The potion worked. I have the remedy. My only problem is now making enough for a village. Some o the ingredients are rare and…"

"I will go off and find them." Arthur interrupted. "I will help."

Gaius frowned and looked straight at Arthur, seeing him for he boy he was and not the man Uther made him out to be. "Arthur, you cannot. Some of the ingredients..."

"I'll do it." he said stubbornly. "I'll go off and find them all."

"I don't doubt you would." Gaius said honestly, wondering how the young man before him who had often lacked care for anyone but Morgana and his father suddenly became so passionate over a village peasant. "But it is not that simply. Tomorrow I will talk to your father to see if I have permission to go on a journey to help acquire the ingredients. You for now, go rest. It will do you a world of good and me too."

Arthur grinned ruefully. "We, more or less annoyed you all day didn't we?"

"Never again in my life, Arthur." Gaius muttered. "Now off with you!"

Arthur laughed. "Goodnight Gaius."

With that laugh and grin Gaius did not see man or boy or even Uther. Gaius saw, as he fleetingly had for the last fifteen years, Ygraine.

* * *

Merlin awoke and shivered under all his blankets, the covers not warming the air in the chambers he was in. Gently, he pushed off the covers and got up, finding his boots by the door. He pushed them on and went down some stairs, reaching the warmth of Gaius's chambers.

"About time you got up." Merlin looked around and saw Will. His eyes had bags under them and he was paler than normal but there were no orange irises and he was awake.

Grinning like the idiot he was, Merlin launched himself at Will and tackled his friend in a fierce hug. "I thought you were going to die you clotpole!"

"Fish-brains."

"In dire need of a bath."

"Oi, Merlin. When you were born you fell down the ugly tree and hit every branch along the way."

"When the gods said, 'Come forth for intelligence,' you went fifth."

"Don't believe in the gods, so that one was pointless mate."

Merlin laughed and Gaius shook his head at their antics. Merlin turned to him. "So I take it you found the cure, then. Did I pass out?"

"Morgana did actually. And you passed out from exhaustion and not the ailment. You must take better care of yourself, my boy."

Merlin tried to grin it off then said, "So now you have the cure, Will and I can take it back to Ealdor and cure everyone then."

Gaius shook his head. "It is not that simply. There is an entire village affected. I must gather more supplies."

"We'll help." Will said with a mouthful of food. "Merlin and I collect berries all the time for the village. We know the poisonous ones from the good ones too."

"Not that Crazy Nathaniel knows that..." Merlin added quietly, thinking of all the times they switched berries so that the old and grumpy Nathaniel was overcome with diarrhoea.

"I don't want to know." Gaius said honestly. "But it is not that simple. I was born as a serf, meaning that I have a master who owns me and am not a free man. King Uther is my master and I must ask him permission first to leave to go to Ealdor."

Merlin didn't completely understand but did perk up at the thought of meeting an actual King. H wondered what he would be like. "So why don't we go see him now?"

Gaius sighed. "I have an audience with the king scheduled. We can leave after your breakfast."

Merlin scarfed the food down quickly and Will rushed beside him. "Finished!" they called simultaneously and Gaius wondered what in hell he had gotten himself into.

* * *

* This idea was not original... Or it might have been, I'm not sure. Me and my girlfriend were drunk and my boyfriend had cheated on me and we decided that every girl who made out with him should have been cast into slumber like the opposite of Sleeping Beauty, because we didn't wish death upon anyone. The orange eye part of it came from the fact that the girl I caught him making out with was orange... like a carrot... Fake tan. :)

Oh and thank you every one for the well wishes. I'm back at uni so I should be fine. :) But I am uploading this from Film Studies... so might not do so well on the grades.

Review, please and thanks.


	6. An Audience with the King

**A/N: **So... Do you like stuff? I feel obliged to write these sometimes... But it's such a quick update I have naught to say.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Merlin. I do own this piece of gum. *chews gum*

* * *

**An Audience with the King**

On a good day, Sir Arnold was not one to be trifled with. He sat in the king's pocket and often whispered in his ear and undermined Arthur at any given moment. For some reason, Arnold despised Arthur and the boy wasn't at all sure why.

He was already being cautious, as his father was still furious at him for not showing up to the feast and dragging Morgana away with him. The two had lied and said they were in the lower town, sneaking out to a commoner's party. It wasn't the first time the two had done so – and been caught – and Morgana was fearful of what would've happen should Uther ever find out they walked Gwen home.

But as he was walking to the great hall for the daily commoners meet with the King, he saw Sir Arnold and his father talking quietly in a corridor. Arnold looked furious and Uther was trying not to look too concerned but Arthur could see fear laced deep in the irises of his father's eyes.

Nervously, Arthur inched closer to listen.

"... you know this as well as I do!" Arnold snapped.

Uther sighed, running a hand over his face. "I understand your old concerns, Arnold, however we have had scouts watching her and never has he returned."

"That doesn't mean a thing. You could be leading the enemy into your home."

"I hardly believe a sickly peasant child is the enemy."

"But his father-"

"Enough of his, Arnold. He would not have left his son alone. It is not the customs of their people. It is against their every law. When Hunith fell pregnant we asked her and she said -"

"Hunith be damned!" Arnold snapped. "Her word means nothing. Just because of her friendship with-"

"Enough." Arthur saw his father was clearly no longer in the mood to listen to Sir Arnold and the knight shrunk back under his gaze. "She swore on my wife's grave. If that isn't proof enough, I do not what is. Despite how I felt about their strange relationship, the only person I could ever rely on taking care of Ygraine was Hunith. If not for her I would have lost Arthur and my wife. I know what you believe but if I hear anymore word of it, I will send you to the dungeons for insolence."

Arthur slid back into his hiding spot as his father stormed passed him. A moment later, Arnold turned into his corridor and they both froze, glaring at each other. "What are you staring at?" he snapped then looked to Uther's back and back to Arthur. "Spying now, are we?"

"What was that about?" Arthur asked.

Arnold narrowed his eyes. "Never you mind, sire. Just make sure you watch your back. Especially around the street rats from Ealdor." Arthur didn't flinch until Arnold was firm out of his sights.

He was now running late for the meetings with the King and ran to the great hall, just managing to get to his seat before his father could yell at him. He did receive a harsh glare but would live.

Morgana frowned at him to question his rattled appearance but Arthur just dismissed her with a shrug.

"Step forward, Court Physician Gaius." one of the squires called out and Arthur looked to see Gaius approach the court with a fussing Merlin and Will. The two boys kept straightening their hair and occasionally Merlin would try and shove Will's collar down which would only receive a slap and glare in response as Will popped it back up.

"And would these be our guests from Ealdor then?" Uther asked imploringly. Arthur glanced at his father and saw he was very clearly trying to discern which one Merlin was.

"Ah..." Gaius looked down at the two nervously waiting for them to self-combust into flames or something of the sort. "Yes. This is - "

"Sir William the Fifth, House of Fernwall and the son of the late Lord William the Fourth, at your service, sire." The crowd in the room erupted into small chuckles as Will bowed as graciously as he could for a boy who grew up in a village out in Essetir. When he stood back up, he looked at Merlin pointedly.

"Er... Yeah. I'm Merlin. Just Merlin. Merlin of Ealdor and er... House of... Well actually it's more of a hut..." Will poked him in the ribs with his elbow. "Ow!"

"Just bow." Will hissed and Merlin did as he was told, shooting daggers at his friend and rubbing his bruising ribs. Arthur couldn't help but join in the laughter of all the witnesses and even his father cracked a small smile.

"What is your request, Sir William?"

Will looked surprised then looked at Merlin who just shrugged. "Er... Right. Well, we come from a small village just on the borders of Essetir and well there's this illness spreading and... Merlin?" Will lowered his voice to a whisper. "Apart from the bowing, that's all I got."

Merlin, slightly better with words stepped forward. "We sent to King Cendred a plea for help but he cares little for the outlying villages unless we don't pay our taxes. Gaius is my uncle and we've heard how he is the best physician in all of Albion and he found a cure -"

"We don't have all day, for you antics, so please hurry it along."

"If I may, sire." Gaius said, stepping forward. "I am sorry for these boys however it is quite urgent I return with them to Ealdor to help the sick. I come asking your permission to leave."

"Didn't he just say you found the cure?"

"It is not that simple sire. I do not have enough ingredients..."

Uther interrupted again. "You wish me to give supplies."

"No sire. I wish you to allow me to go with the boys to collect the ingredients. It will only -"

"How long?" Uther asked.

Gaius shook his head and regained his composure. "Excuse me, sire?"

"How long will it take?"

Gaius shook his head. "I am not completely sure, sire. A few days maybe. A week at most."

"A week? Gaius, the tournament is next week."

"Yes sire, but -"

"How will we have a tournament without the Court Physician present?"

"Well sire -"

"And since Rowan left, there is not even an apprentice to take your place."

"I know of this sire, but -"

"Did you even think of this when you approached my council today, Gaius?" Uther demanded.

Gaius had no chance to reply as Merlin spoke up and said, "Well if you give him a chance to actually say something, then maybe you'd know."

Arthur jumped and Morgana's mouth opened in a completely un-ladylike fashion and she quickly tried to stifle her laughter with her hand. Most of the court just gasped.

"Excuse me boy?" Uther said, forgetting Gaius and turning his attentions to Merlin.

Oh no, was all Arthur could think and remembered what Merlin had said about Will being a bad influence and could only assume he was about to see how bad of an influence he could be.

"You heard me." Merlin said defiantly. "You're not letting him speak. I thought this was an audience with the king, not a chance for you to boss Gaius about."

"Merlin!" Gaius snapped. "Hold your tongue."

"I'd listen to your uncle, boy, or I will quite easily forget who your mother is and my good friendship to her." Uther said dangerously.

Merlin did go silent but he still had a vengeful glare, some of it laced with confusion.

"As I was saying, Gaius. It would be foolish of me to send you away during our yearly tournament. It could mean the death of our men."

"Then delay the stupid tournament." Will called out.

Arthur had never before seen the resemblance between his father and a tomato until that very moment. "In your village, do they not teach young boys manners?"

"Clearly not." Merlin piped up. "But they do teach us how to be kind and generous... Or at least have a heart."

Arthur actually wanted to find a gag for the boy and not even Gaius's withering looks were helping.

"That is it. Even if there was the slightest chance for me to consider allowing Gaius to save your worthless village, all considerations are lost until you two learn to respect the authority of your king!"

"Mate, we're from Essetir." Will smirked, leaning on Merlin's shoulder. "Cedred's our king."

Arthur actually thought it couldn't get any worse as Uther told the guards to escort Merlin and Will out of his sight. But then it did. "Prat." Merlin muttered under his breath and the entire court gasped.

"To the stocks! Both of them! Now!"

* * *

As what felt like the millionth tomato smacked Merlin in the face, he thought to himself that maybe things with Uther could have gone a lot better. "So you royally screwed that one up for us." Will said.

Merlin did a double take to his friend, bound to the stocks beside him. "Like you did any better, Sir William of Fernwall! Or did I miss your gallant speech about the needs of our people?"

"I was just following your lead!"

"Since when?"

"I just assumed you were the well read one out of us."

Merlin reached out his foot and kicked Will in the behind and Will retaliated. The two of them were fighting in the stocks while fruits and vegetables were still being pelted at their faces up until a small, 'ahem' interrupted them.

Both Merlin and Will looked up and a large tomato hit him square in the eye. "Gwen, wipe his face." Merlin recognised the voice and blushed as Morgana's handmaiden wiped the tomato from his eye.

"Thanks." he mumbled.

"So that could have gone much better." Morgana sighed, crossing her hands over her chest.

"And who is this fine lady?" Will asked, ogling Morgana with his most charming smile, only to have it filled with squashed pumpkin a moment later.

"I am the Lady Morgana." she introduced then nudged Gwen.

"Gwen." the other girl said nervously, looking around to see if anyone had seen her help the people in the stock that would report her to Uther.

"You two are quite hopeless at council." Morgana said. "I've never seen Uther look so angry. He's been storming about and screaming 'insolence' for the last two hours."

"Really?" Will said conversationally. "We've been relaxing down here in the town. Stretching out our legs and enjoying this wonderful weather. For a woman of your high standard, I'm surprised you never heard a tomato to the face keeps ones youth." As though the town people heard, a tomato flew at Will, hitting him in the chin. "For every tomato I gain ten years of my youth while you're going to wither and die, you old hag!"

Merlin ignored him and turned to Morgana and Gwen. "I don't know what to do. Every second Gaius is here, someone else in Ealdor is dying. My mother is apart of the sick."

Gwen patted his hand. "We'll figure something out, Merlin."

"Or you could just wait until I save the day." the four of them looked over to see Arthur approaching with his arms crossed over his chest. "You two just can't shut up, can you? Maybe you should have stayed unconscious. I liked you both more that way."

"Who's this prat, then?" Will asked.

Merlin sighed. "Sir William of Fernwall, meet Arthur. Prince Arthur. He's the King's son from what I gather."

Will frowned. "Remember when I told you I hate Kings and the like of them, Merlin. Double so now."

"You just hate him because he's got a smarmy grin on."

"I do hate smarm." Will agreed.

"You can't talk like that." Arthur argued. "You're of the serving class."

"We ain't no bootlickers." Will retorted. "We don't need to bow and hold our dresses just because you were born to privilege."

"You seemed more than happy to try, _Sir_ William."

"That's because our people are at stake." Merlin spoke quickly before the eventual blow up of Will could occur. "He thought he could woo your father with his nobility, but clearly he can't. We can both see you're all just a bunch of twats now." he turned to the girls. "Except for you two. I heard you were the one who found the cure, Morgana. Thank you."

Morgana smiled proudly and Arthur fumed. "You're thanking Morgana! After I carried you here from the forest! After I made sure Sir Arnold didn't kill you! After I bandaged you up and let you sleep on my lap because you refused to move!"

"You've always been too damn affectionate, Merlin." Will scolded light heartedly.

"I thank you for that." Merlin said honestly. "But if you think I should have to beg your father for permission to allow _my_ Uncle to come help cure _my_ people from an illness that will surely _kill them_, simply because I was not born on the same platform as you, then you don't deserve my gratitude. In fact, I could only dream to imagine why you would help one such as myself with that belief system behind you. You should have just let me be killed."

Arthur burned with embarrassment but didn't speak for a long while. "What would you have me do? Usurp generations of tradition and order and defy all laws that make me a prince?"

They all watched as Merlin, wise beyond his years chuckled and shook his head. "No. I'd have you be someone more than a prince. Be a man. Be a human being. Be someone who has generosity and kindness in their heart. You believe letting the people speak their mind usurps your authority? What authority do you have without the people?" Merlin noted they had drawn in a crowd and he was far from finished talking. "They out number you, Arthur. A thousand to one. The only reason why they obey is because none of them have seemed to realise that yet. But if your father and you keep up your own insolence against them, one day they will see and you will be powerless to stop them. Will and I have seen it happen. Hardly any are loyal to Cendred apart from those he pays and tortures. When will that happen to you?"

Arthur shivered and took a wary step away from Merlin. He turned on his heel and walked away, pushing passed the crowd, leaving them all in a stunned silence. Merlin couldn't even begin to feel sorry for the prince. His mother was still dying and he was being pelted with fruit and vegetables. He had no room for remorse when all he was feeling was depression.

"Now you pull out that little speech? Why not with the king?" Will demanded.

Merlin watched Arthur's back go and felt immensely guilty, though he couldn't pinpoint why. "Shut up, Will."

Morgana deflated and knelt next to him. "I'll talk to him Merlin. Trust me. If anyone's going to help, it'll be Arthur. I know how he seems. To hell with pretences, I know how all of the nobles seem. But Arthur is one of the good ones. He just needs some gentle nudging sometimes." Morgana reached over and pecked him on the cheek, causing Merlin to blush then grabbed Gwen's hand and chased Arthur up the hill to the castle.

Will stared, mouth agape. "The forthright speech and the woman? Merlin, what would Freya say?"

Merlin kicked Will again and the war that had been called off before Morgana's entrance started once more, only to be ceased when a barrage of rotten eggs struck them in the face.

* * *

Arthur stared into the fires of his bedroom hearth, watching the flames crackle and burn as he thought of the idiot Merlin and his knuckle-brained sidekick. Once Merlin had said his speech, Arthur had decided to not help him at all and was actually considering telling the guards no one was allowed to remove them from the stocks for a week.

But then he felt his stomach churn as he found truths in the words Merlin said. The people of Camelot did outnumber the king and his armies. Heck, if the knights were to agree with them, Uther and Arthur would be left alone. And Gaius was Merlin's uncle, in a matter of speaking, and shouldn't he be allowed the freedom to come and go from Camelot as he pleased after so many years? Why was Camelot Arthur's responsibility, just because of his blood? Was that all that mattered? Who ones blood was?

He found himself staring into the flames with no idea how much time had passed. He heard gentle knocking at the door and called out for the person to enter. He turned his head and saw Morgana pushing the door open and entering. "Good evening, Arthur."

"Good evening Morgana." he replied kindly. He turned back to his fire, not completely interested in her musings for the evening. He had an idea of what she would say and did not want to hear it. "You know, whilst what Merlin and Will did was utterly rude it wasn't completely unfair. How would you like it if some strange man told you, you could not save me from the brink of death simply because it inconvenienced him?"

"My father did not say it was an inconvenience!" Arthur defended.

Morgana rolled her eyes. "No. He simply said his tournament was more important than Merlin's mothers life." Arthur deflated at that. "What made you visit Merlin and Will in the stocks anyway? What made you help us find research last night? I know you Arthur, you're not one to do things without good reason or orders. So what is it this time? Why do you care for the life of a peasant village so much?"

In the back of his mind, Arthur heard the screams of the Druid people and his skin prickled and his hair stood on end. He wanted to curl up in bed and cry and he hadn't slept going on two nights to avoid the nightmares. Half of him considered going to Gaius and asking for a sleeping draught but surely he would ask why and Arthur did not want that shame.

"Why does everyone think I am some uncaring Prince?" Arthur shouted, suddenly angry. He didn't know what he was angry at exactly but it all bubbled up inside of him and burst out at Morgana. "I tried saving him but now he's acting like an idiot! What more can I do?"

Morgana shrugged. "Try the patience of a king and do what is right. Merlin's right. The people outnumber you. But one day they will be your people and do you want to lead them with a pure heart or live in fear that your selfishness will lead to them to doom?"

"What does any of this have to do with Merlin?" Arthur insisted.

"Ripples make waves, Arthur. Maybe Merlin can be the pebble." With that cryptic insight, Morgana left Arthur alone to think.

It didn't take long for his mind to wander back to the druids and wondered of that had been the pebble for his destruction.

He got up and paced his chambers then stormed to Gaius's tower, still furious and not completely sure as to why he was going there of all places.

As he entered, shoving the door open he faltered and forgot why he was angry. Gaius was sitting at his table, patiently stirring something and looked up without any surprise. "I was wondering when you'd come."

"When I... What?" Arthur had sent no word to Gaius to warn of his arrival. He hadn't even mentioned anything of the sort earlier.

"Sit." Gaius said, nodding to the bench. Arthur did as he was told and watched Gaius as he often did as a child, patiently with curious eyes. He was working on something, though Arthur couldn't tell what. "When you arrived after your first patrol I could tell something was wrong. I have known you for fifteen years Arthur and was the first to hold you after your birth. I knew that something had happened but Merlin distracted me and usually you tell me when you are distressed." Gaius poured the boiling substance into a vial and it came out as clear as water. "After your father finally calmed down he boasted about how you ordered the kill for a Druid camp."

Arthur's stomach churned. "I - I... I did what was right for Camelot."

"You did what no child should ever have to do." Gaius said as he handed him the vial and sat beside him. "No one should be forced to watch the light in someone else's eye die, and know they are the cause of it, especially one so young."

"I'm fifteen." Arthur argued weakly.

"Exactly. Most nobles your age are just starting to wield a sword properly, not killing with one."

"What of the children my age like Merlin?" Arthur asked. "What are they doing Gaius?"

Gaius hesitated but sighed as he relented to speak. "Most are working and earning a living to support their families."

Arthur's eyes watered. "And the Druids? What of them? What are they doing by my age? Because so many of them will never be my age, will they Gaius?"

Gaius watched Arthur sadly. "Oh my boy." he opened his arms up and Arthur fell into them and cried into Gaius's shoulder as he often did as a small child whenever his father yelled at him. Gaius stroked his hair.

"How do I fix it Gaius?" Arthur needed to know. "I don't know how to fix it."

"It's not something that can be readily fixed." he replied gently. "You must learn to forgive yourself and learn from your mistakes."

"But how?"

"It takes time, Arthur. A lot of time." Gaius stroked his hair fondly then helped him up. "Now, let us go release Merlin and William from the stocks then we shall walk you to your room, where you will drink your potion and have a fitful nights sleep. How does that sound?"

"No nightmares?" Arthur asked.

"My potions never fail. Come on."

Gaius and Arthur walked side by side and when they reached the stocks, the moon was high above them and the boys hung their limply with their heads lolling. Arthur unclasped the boards with his keys and Will staggered up first, shortly followed by Merlin who looked up and tried smiling in thanks but was too tired to do even that.

"Thank you." he finally managed and him and Will supported each other with the walk back up to Arthur's room, passed the gargoyle that led to his hallway and to the door of his room.

In that time, Arthur decided something. "You make potions from the books Gaius sends you, yes?"

Merlin shared a wary look with Gaius then nodded. "Yes."

"Then if you leave with Leon and myself, we can help you locate the ingredients and you can make the potion without him."

Gaius shook his head. "It is more complicated than that."

"No it isn't." Arthur said gleefully. "Gaius, only you are a non-freeman. The rest of us can come and go as we chose from Camelot."

"Arthur your father won't let you near Merlin and Will. What makes you think...?"

"Leave my father to me." _Or to Morgana,_ he thought more correctly. "Be ready to leave here by dawn, with a list at the ready." Before Gaius could object again, Arthur went into his room and shut the door.

* * *

So for **person**, cookies have marshmallows in them... I love marshmallows so it didn't take me much!


	7. To Make a Potion

**A/N:** Sorry for the long update... But it's well worth it. I've finished the next three chapters. I'm just reading through them. I haven't had internet and when I did, I was actually re-hospitalised. I'm pretty sure the doctors are trying to kill me, though that could be me becoming paranoid...

Thanks **bubzchoc ** and **A maze** thing for the reviews. :)

**Disclaimer: **Morgana would have had some redeeming qualities about her if I owned Merlin, because I've read the Arthurian legend and in the end, she actually... you know what? I don't own Merlin. :)

* * *

**To Make a Potion**

Merlin was woken well before dawn by a quiet Gaius who nodded his head for Merlin to follow him out of the apprentice chambers, which he was sharing with Will, and into the main ones.

Carefully, he untangled himself from his best friend - the two sharing the small bed as they had shared everything in their life, with an argument and eventually begrudging acceptance - and followed Gaius out with a large yawn.

"Sit, please." Gaius said as he too sat. Merlin took the seat across from him and pondered what could be so urgent. His body ached from his time in the stocks and his legs were bruised from him and Will kicking each other. "We need to talk about the potion."

Merlin yawned wide and nodded his head sleepily. "I know all the ingredients. I have marked the map with where they are found. I've read the preparation at least seven times and wrote out three copies of detailed instructions. I think I'll be alright."

"You need to learn how to listen and shut up sometimes, Merlin." Gaius said quietly. Merlin tried not to look offended as Gaius continued. "The illness that has struck your village is one made of magic and the only cure is one made of magic."

Merlin frowned, "But... Magic is forbidden in Camelot."

"But not in Essetir." Gaius said quietly. Merlin became very interested in the table suddenly as Gaius leant down closer to his level. "Merlin. I know you have magic."

Merlin jumped and his eyes opened wide. "What? How?!"

"Your mother once asked me to bind your powers, but I couldn't. I have dabbled in the arts of magic but was never that strong."

The more Gaius spoke, the more in shock Merlin found himself. "You have magic?"

"More specifically, I can use magic. But I haven't properly since the Great Purge, except of course when I made the potion for you and Will."

Merlin stared at the old physician with a new amount of respect. "You risked execution for me?"

Gaius nodded and clasped his hand over one of Merlin's cheeks. "Of course." He smiled. "I may not have been in your life physically all these years Merlin but I care for you and your mother very much."

Merlin smiled gently back. "Thank you Gaius. Really, this means the world to me."

Gaius looked upset but patted his back. "Merlin, have you ever cast a spell before?"

Merlin shook his head. "I just... Do things."

Gaius looked surprised. Hunith had told him about Merlin's powers before, but he had been unsure of how much her ignorance of magic had to do with what she said. "Well then I'll just have to teach you how to cast a spell."

"Alright then... Let me just wake Will."

"Will?" Gaius's one raised eyebrow jolted up even higher.

"Yeah. It's alright. He knows about my magic and would kill me if I learnt a spell without him."

Gaius groaned as Merlin rushed up the stairs to wake his friend and decided he was actually glad he never got around to having children of his own.

* * *

At dawn, a very tired and nervous Merlin stood far outside the gates of the lower town, leaning heavily on Will. Never in his life had he tried to hone and direct his magic, often letting it roam free with his desires and wishes and the whole training session had taken a lot out of him, the spell more complex than he thought necessary.

Gaius stood by, holding berries he was force feeding Merlin for energy and shooting worried glances up the hill, waiting for Leon and Arthur.

"Are you going to be okay, Merlin?" Will asked quietly, supporting his friend heavily. "I can go with his High Royal Pratness and collect everything, if you want. All you need to do is brew the thing."

Shaking his head, Merlin said, "You couldn't tell a carrot from a turnip and lord only knows how little this prince knows about herbs and roots. No, I'll feel better knowing I'm there. My mother's been ill for four days now, Will."

Sympathetically, his best friend nodded and they waited as four horses came riding down from the hill. Merlin looked surprised as Morgana and Gwen rode down alongside a very annoyed Arthur in trousers and shirts. Before Merlin could ask, Gaius called out, "What are Morgana and Gwen doing?"

Arthur demounted and looked angry. "I left Morgana in charge of telling my father I was going on a hunting trip. Instead she told him she requested Leon and I to accompany her to a visit to her Aunts, stating womanly business needed to be attended to. But she didn't consider my father would send a messenger out to Lady Patrice now did she?"

"How was I supposed to know? Uther always turns a blind eye when I mention any sort of womanly thing and allows me to do as I wish." Morgana asked, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I looked at the list. We gather much of it on our way to the House of Lorquay, I will stay the night with Gwen at my aunts whilst you are making the potion and distribute it to Ealdor and the second guard will pick me up. We pass by her town on the way, anyway. How hard can it be?"

Gwen got off her horse and handed the reigns to Merlin. "Sorry." she said quietly.

"Doesn't matter." he said, quietly hoping that in the end it wouldn't. Will mounted Gwen's horse first and Merlin turned to Gaius. "Thank you, Gaius."

"It was my pleasure, my boy." Gaius embraced him warmly and kissed the top of his head. "Do come back to visit only next time, maybe we can avoid vexing the king."

Merlin grinned and mounted the horse behind Will as Gwen got on Morgana's horse. "Good luck." he called out. "And be careful!"

Their party took off and went to their first destination, the caves located deep within Darkling Forest where Merlin was the only one small enough - and brave enough in the case of Gwen being tinier than he was - to crawl through a slim hole and retrieve the root of a flower that only grew in the cracks.

"Hey!" he called out whilst inside. He tried struggling out of the hole but it was such a tight fit, he could only move one way. Up ahead, there was a thin strip of light that led out to the world above somewhere, only Merlin didn't know where that somewhere was and if he could fit up the sliver sized opening.

"There isn't exactly room here to turn around in –" Two hands grabbed his ankles and he was yanked back, yelping as his stomach dragged across the stone. He turned on his back and looked up to see Arthur dusting himself off. "Thanks." he said gratefully as Will hauled him to his feet.

He still wasn't sure of how to act around the prince, seeing as the last time they had spoken he was pretty much telling him he was going to be overthrown. So he took his cues from the older boy and acted as though it never happened.

The next thing they had to find were wood ear mushrooms that grew near the tops of the trees in a forest a little way away. "But careful." Merlin warned Will as he climbed up a tree with Leon already in the branches of another. "Some of them will act like poisons if we take them for the potion."

"How are we supposed to know which ones?" Morgana called out, climbing over branches with Gwen standing underneath her as if ready to catch her of she fell.

"If they're black, don't touch them. They should be an earthy brown and soft and… fleshy." Merlin read from the instructions. He started to climb his own tree and only Arthur refused to get up on a branch. "Got one!" Will shouted out.

"Me too!" Morgana yelled.

"We need fifteen, at least." Merlin called back. He was near the top of a particularly tall tree and grinned happily when he saw a whole branch covered in the stuff. "You lot, come here!" Merlin shouted out. "I found a whole bunch!"

He could hear them dropping down from their trees and Arthur was the first to appear on the ground below him. He looked around then said, "Drop down your scarf."

Indignantly Merlin snorted, "It's a neckerchief."

"Whatever it is. Drop it." Merlin grumbled and fiddled with his scarf and let it fall, his neck feeling terribly cold all of a sudden. Arthur caught it and opened it up to make a catchment. "Drop them down so you don't squash them as you climb back."

Merlin couldn't help but agree it was a good idea. He started scraping the wood ears off and letting the fall into the open basket of his neckerchief, counting at least seven.

When Arthur, Morgana, Gwen and Leon weren't paying attention, he leapt down from the branch and fell to the floor, catching himself with magic. Will stepped beside him and patted his back. "Good on you, Merlin. Finding new and exciting ways to get yourself killed. Is the pyre your aim, this time?"

Merlin shoved him lightly and snorted. "Shut up."

They found over half the ingredients by nightfall and reached the town that Morgana's aunt by marriage lived in and was subsequently the owner of. "She's a foul woman, but my only living relative, so Uther makes allowances for me to see her. Quite honestly I rarely actually go and she rarely ever enjoys my company, unless I'm silent and still." Morgana said to Merlin.

At the gates to the town, Merlin and Will got off their horses and bade farewell to the girls. "Thanks for helping." Merlin said to them. "If it wasn't for you two we wouldn't have found those wild berries."

"It was all Gwen. I just climbed on her shoulders to get them." Morgana shrugged, but she was very obviously trying not to grin.

Merlin laughed and hugged them both goodbye with Will following suit. "Will you visit?" Gwen asked.

"Of course." Merlin said. "I have to. I owe you both." Gwen's arms flew around his neck and Merlin stumbled back a bit but held her.

"Come soon. And bring your mother. I'd love to meet her." a churning in his stomach made him want to say, 'If she's still alive.' but he didn't.

They departed, sharing a horse as they went into the town and Merlin and Will hid in the bushes just outside the gates so no one would report to Uther they were there. Leon and Arthur would tell the Lady Patrice they had hunting to do and a second guard would pick up Morgana in the morning.

When they were well out of hearing distance, Will grinned. "The Lady and the Serving Girl? Merlin you heart breaker. Really? What would Freya say?"

Merlin hit Will in the gut. "They're just friends... And anyway. How would Freya know?"

"You've dipped your fingers in a lot of pies, my friend."

"What does that even mean?"

"I... I don't know actually." Merlin regretted asking at it led to Will pondering out loud who stuck their fingers into a pie in the first place?

Merlin started getting worried the longer it took for Arthur and Leon to arrive, and when they finally did, they were grinning. "We went to the markets." Arthur said proudly.

"Bought some silks to match your shiny shoes, now?" Will asked.

"No." Arthur growled. "We found the rest of the items on the list." Arthur then procured from his rucksack, all the flowers and roots they needed to make the antidote. "We're a nights ride from Ealdor. If you two don't need your beauty sleep..."

Before he could finish, Merlin and Will were already up on their horse and had taken off, Leon and Arthur following closely behind.

* * *

**A/N: **I also want to shout out to all the followers, subscribers and favourite's I've gotten from this story. (Author favourites too)

Much appreciated.

Review!


	8. A Broken Thanks

**A/N: **One more chapter and then you'll know who the big bad is... Can anyone guess what happened after this chapter?

Thank you **Distressed Clover **for the review... I love your name. Just saying...

* * *

**A Broken Thanks**

Arthur had long ago deemed there were two types of men in the world.

The brave and the cowardly.

However now since he had met Merlin, he had to add a third group.

The foolishly courageous – borderline idiotic, really.

They reached Ealdor in the dead of the night and Merlin leapt off the horse and rushed to one of the huts, closely followed by Will. Arthur and Leon followed, tying the horses then followed the boys inside, the door swinging eerily in their wake. Leon went in first, checking for any dangers and went inside. Arthur stepped in just after and took in the small surroundings. The hut was tiny and the ground made from compacted dirt.

There was a moth eaten rug and only one bed where a woman laid unconscious, breathing harshly. Merlin was holding her hand and rubbing her shoulder and Will stood behind him rubbing his back. "She's still breathing." Will murmured. "We need to make the potion." Arthur assumed the woman was Merlin's mother, the somewhat legendary Hunith.

Arthur and Leon both felt as though they were intruding as Merlin hastily wiped his eyes and got up. He looked around and saw the dead hearth. "Go get wood, Will." Merlin ordered and the boy scurried off. He looked to Arthur and Leon. "I need fresh water and..." Merlin patted himself down then looked over to his chest. "Oh no!" he practically shouted.

"What?" Arthur exclaimed. "What is it?" Merlin rushed over to his bag and started rifling through it.

"No! No, no, no, no, no!"

"What is it?" he repeated.

Merlin spun around, panic etched on his face. "I forgot about it... I was sick and exhausted and forgot altogether... I've never travelled with it before... My dagger. When I was running through the forest with Will I had my dagger and now... I must have dropped it!"

Leon's face softened. "You mean the dagger with the dragon head engraved on the back?"

"You've seen it!" Merlin shouted, pointing at him.

"Yeah, Sir Arnold knocked it from your hand. That's why you have the bandage. Didn't Gaius tell you?"

Merlin calmed. "He said they were defending themselves but I just figured it was because I was a stranger. What happened to my dagger?"

Arthur felt a strange guilt rip through his stomach at the fear on Merlin's face. Before Leon could speak more, he pulled the dagger out from his pack and held it out. "Here." Merlin stared at the blade in awe then quickly snatched it from him. "Leon gave it to me and I kept forgetting to return it." he said weakly, but Merlin seemed to accept this.

Leon rushed to get the water earlier requested and Merlin used the dagger to peel and chop ingredients on his dining table. When Will returned with firewood, his face was pale. "Merlin, six more have died since we left. Deana just passed in her sleep minutes ago and Dawry said she fell ill the night before Fenny and your mother. Everyone is either dead or dying. We're going to need a lot of potion."

Arthur saw the tension build up on Merlin shoulders as he asked, "What of your mother?" Will said nothing in reply, but started to stoke the fire with trembling hands. "Will?" Merlin asked quietly.

"Does it matter? Your mother's my mother. She's all I care for." he muttered.

Arthur watched on as Merlin accepted this answer and continued hastily with his work. It took an hour for him to cut, crush and clean everything and when it was all done, Merlin added it all ingredient by ingredient to a cauldron over the hearth.

Merlin looked up at Leon and Arthr warily then back at the potion. "Ah, could you two go around with Will and collect cups and vials and anything you can to distribute this stuff?"

Will looked as though he didn't want to go but after a harsh glare from Merlin he turned to Leon and Arthur with the biggest grin. "Yes. Please help me. I only have two weak little arms."

Merlin rolled his eyes at the sarcasm laced in his voice and Arthur wondered why he wished them all to leave. However, he saw the stress in the boys eyes and decided to allow this boy his privacy and followed Leon and Will to a small abandoned but where Will started piling up bowls from a drawer.

Arthur looked around the dishevelled hut and saw some knights armour hanging from a makeshift hanger, made from broomsticks and a bucket.

He then turned his head to see a woman lying on a bed nearby, not moving.

Leon and Arthur peered at one another then looked to the bed. Arthur was about to move closer when Will said, "She's dead." His voice was free of any love or loath. He was simply telling them a fact. "Serves her right. Who did she have a right to kiss?"

Arthur turned back to the woman and then to Will and supposed this was his mother. He thought for a moment Will was being cruel but then remembered what he'd overheard Merlin complaining to Gaius about.

_"His father's dead, his mother beats him... I'm all he has."_

Maybe the corpse was recently deceased but to Will his mother may have been long dead.

There was an unearthly wind that picked up around him and swept through the open door of the house. It battered against the wall and they all looked up, Will swallowing. "What was that?" Leon questioned.

"Just the wind." Will said, though Arthur could tell he was lying.

They collected a few more bowls and returned to Merlin's hut. Only, when they entered Merlin couldn't be seen. "Merlin?" Will called out. Leon and Arthur looked around, nervously but just then Will dropped the bowls he was holding and rushed behind the table. Arthur looked again and saw that Merlin was sprawled out on the floor, his eyes rolled back in his head.

Will was shaking his friend to wake him up and it took a few seconds for the boy to come around, his eyes fluttering and sitting up weakly in Will's arms. "What happened?" Arthur demanded.

Dazed, Merlin looked at the cauldron and smiled. "I did it."

Will let out a joyous laughter as he peered into the cauldron and saw it was a bright orange colour.

Still confused, Arthur demanded, "So you fainted like a girl in excitement?"

Merlin chuckled. "Better a girl than a prat."

"Better a prat than a wart face." Will smirked, then bristled at himself as he realised he'd defended the prince. Arthur smirked at this and Merlin was trying not to laugh. Will looked up and shot him a look of contempt. "Automatic reaction. Doesn't mean I like you or anything."

"I didn't think of it." Arthur retorted dryly.

"C'mon." Merlin said straining to get up and needing Will to drag him to his feet. "Let's start spreading this out."

Arthur helped as Will and Leon poured bowls on the potion to carry over to the barn filled with the ill. Merlin was tending to his mother, his movements slow with dizziness but still determined. Hunith awoke not too soon after she had been given the antidote and Merlin helped her to sit up then embraced her. "Merlin?" she asked wearily. "You came back."

"Of course." he smiled, rubbing the tears of sleep from his mothers eyes. "What did you think? I'd leave you?"

She smiled softly and kissed his forehead. "Never." She looked around and saw Will, beckoning him forward and Will hugged Hunith too. She tilted her head down and held them both before she noticed their audience. "Hello. And you are?"

"I am Prince Arthur and this is my most trusted Knight, Sir Leon, at your service." Arthur said, bowing his head slightly.

Will snorted from behind. "Trust us Hunith. There ain't much service Prince Pratly can do for you without his stepsister there to push him along."

Arthur turned his head sharply and forgot all his former sympathy for Will as he scowled. "I'll have you know -"

"Yeah, yeah. Mum he saved my life." Merlin said, smirking at Arthur. "Then he assisted me in making the potion. Now he's going to help us carry the bowls and the potion to the barnyard. Isn't that right, Prince Arthur? You know. As you're in our service?"

Arthur looked at the small-satisfied grin on Merlin's face and the light dancing in his eyes. Begrudgingly Arthur agreed, unable to get rid of the warmth that spread through his insides that came with the fact he'd almost finished his mission to help Merlin and his village.

Hunith hadn't spoken a word to him, more or less gawking at him in a slightly uncomfortable manner. She didn't carry anything but walked with them to where the majority of the sick were and helped them poor tablespoons of potion down unwilling throats.

As there were so many, Arthur helped and didn't simply watch, learning from an exhausted Merlin how to rub the unconscious throats to help them swallow.

Soon the villagers were all awake, reaching those who were still in their houses and dragging out the dead. He saw someone pull Will's mother passed but he said nothing except for bury himself into the folds of a young maids dress.

Arthur noted how many of the villagers kept staring at him warily and him and Leon were growing increasingly more uncomfortable as the more of them woke. "Sire, are you gathering the feeling that we may not be welcome here?" Leon asked quietly.

Arthur didn't have the chance to reply as a large man with broad shoulders said, "Is that everybody? Has everyone received the cure?"

There was a general murmur of agreement and some tears as they mourned for ones they'd lost. "Does anybody know how this disease spread?" he called out.

Merlin timidly stepped forward, away from his mothers clutches who gripped her chin in worry. "I do not know the cause exactly, but I do know the spread... Kissing."

Some people exclaimed in confusion and Merlin went on to explain, "It was magic, cast from an old wives tale about a cheating husband and a vengeful sorceress. Whomever kissed the husband would plunge into a deep slumber until their eventual death."

"Sorcery... Magic... Druids..." the whispers started and Merlin shook his head as though to drown them out. "No!" he yelled above their voices. "It wasn't the Druids! They are... They are dead."

"How would you know?" the broad man demanded. "Are you consorting with them now?"

"No." he replied sharply. "When Will and I went to help find the cure, we stumbled through the Druid camp and they were all killed. It was a massacre." Arthur reached his hand out and gripped Leon's arm. Leon only winced but allowed Arthur to keep his arm there as he realised Merlin and Will had stumbled through the wreckage Druid camp on his journey to Camelot.

"Good riddance!" one of the villagers yelled. "Always been a nuisance to us, their lot. They probably cast the spell on us then the great Lord cut them down for their savagery."

"Don't you think the more likely explanation is that Old Man Daniel was cheating on his wife again in the next village over, slept with the wrong courtier and brought the curse back with him and the Druids were massacred because of small minded people's intolerance to magic?" Will offered.

"That is enough out of you!" the man growled at Will. "We do not speak ill of the dead."

"He's not speaking ill of Daniel. Only the truth." Merlin argued. "The man was undoubtedly kind but everyone from here to Northumbria knew he couldn't refuse a pretty blonde girl for all the gold and minstrels Albion had to offer." The man sharply backhanded Merlin and Arthur darted forward to help but Leon held him back.

"Emun, please!" Hunith cried. "My boy just saved your life!"

"How do we not know he didn't cause this illness?" Emun demanded.

"Why would I create an illness only to cure it?!" Merlin cried out. Even Arthur couldn't see the man's logic.

"How would I know the mind of a child such as yourself? Maybe it was one of your brews again, gone wrong. Maybe once your mother fell ill you realised your mistake. Maybe it was one of your foolish pranks that turned bad. Or maybe it was to gain or trust."

"I don't need your trusts or your friendships!" Merlin shouted. "And if any of that were true, why not just cure my mother and leave the rest of you to rot?"

_Someone really must teach him to think before he speaks,_ Arthur thought to himself. Before he could think further, Emun reached over and started beating Merlin with his bare fists. Hunith shouted, enraged and tried pulling Emun off but he was too strong. Will yelled and jumped on Emun's back, battering him over the head.

To Arthur's surprise, other villagers joined in on Merlin's attack, obviously offended by his words. It was only as Leon and Arthur pushed through, with their armour and training, and Leon hoisted Merlin from the ground while Arthur stood in front with his sword at the ready, did the lunacy end.

"This child just saved your life!" Arthur cried out, pulling Hunith and Will behind him, and a few others who had tried to help them went too. Hunith turned to Merlin quickly and she pulled him into her open arms. Merlin stood beside her and actually tried comforting her as she shook and held him. "This boy endured exhaustion, starvation, threats from the king and the stocks to save you and you repay him by torturing him?"

"He was the cause of this illness." Emun growled. "He and his father were the cause of all our hardships. This was no different. I am sure of it."

"He was dying when he arrived to our gates for help. They both were! Does that sound like a child who enjoys the thrill of poisoning his village?"

"Who are you anyway?" Emun snapped. He took in his uniform the insignia. "Guards? Guards from Camelot? What are you going to do? Tear our roofs off again?"

"Again?" Arthur frowned. "We've never-"

"Arthur, please." Hunith said, twisting her arm into his and tugging him backwards. "We must leave before they chose to force me out of house and home." She tugged him back and her calming voice forced him to relax. He stumbled back and let Hunith push him back. "Think of your foolishness, Emun. One day, this night will haunt you." Hunith hurried Arthur, Leon, Will and Merlin along, pushing them ahead of her and out of the barn.

"Mother...?" Merlin looked up at her questioningly.

"You did well, my boy." Hunith murmured, leaning down and kissing his head. "Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. You too, Will. I am proud of you both." She turned and shot a grateful eye at Arthur and Leon. "And you two..." she paused and smiled before nodding to her hut. "You must all be hungry. We have little, but I'll see what I can do."

* * *

**A/N: **Cookies, cakes... Bribery for reviews...


	9. The Harsh Goodbyes

**A/N:** I didn't like writing this chapter... Actually made me sad.

Thank you **High Serpent King **and **bubzchoc** for your reviews. **A maze thing**, here is the big bad.** TARDIStraveller**, hehehe. Yeah, I giggle whenever I read that. **Distressed Clover**, you are very welcome. Things get... better. (awkward grin)

For those of you reading much later when the story is complete... Thank you for reading.

**Disclaimer:** So I called the BBC and asked if I could own Merlin... I still don't know why they laughed...

* * *

**The Harsh Goodbyes**

Everyone in the village had returned to their homes, Hunith worriedly watching them take light to their own huts from behind the curtained window. Arthur knew she was worried the villagers would attack again, but the enchanted sleep had left them all weak and everyone needed food and rest.

Hunith had cooked for them, though Arthur wasn't sure it could be considered food. The gruel in the bowls was left full in front of Arthur and Leon, but Merlin and Will had emptied their plates quietly and mournfully.

Hunith returned to the table, wrapping her shawls around her. She had changed and wrapped her hair up in scarfs. Her own bowl of food was had been emptied slowly and she was staring at it intently, pushing the leftovers around until she had enough.

Finally, after a long terse silence, she looked up at Merlin and said, "You should go back to Camelot."

Merlin dropped his spoon and looked up, his jaw dropping. "What?"

"You heard me Merlin. You should go to Camelot and live with Gaius for a little while."

Merlin's face was scrunched up in pain. "But... Mother?"

"Learn how to be a physician. You're good at it, it seems. You'll have a bed too."

"But-"

"It will be good for you. New place, new people."

"I don't–"

"And Gaius could use the company."

"How–"

"And the help. I heard his assistant left recently."

Merlin stood up as he shouted over her. "But I don't want to leave!"

"Merlin. The village… They don't want you here." she said finally, her eyes hardening, but Arthur could see the pain underneath them.

Arthur looked between mother and son and the saw Merlin's eyes well up with tears. "Them or you?" he demanded, then bolted from the hut without another word.

"Merlin!" Hunith shouted but he had run too far to hear or didn't want to.

Will spun around and faced her angrily. "He's not going anywhere. They all get over it eventually and this time is no different."

"This isn't you and Merlin almost collapsing a tree on Old Man Simmons!" Hunith argued. "This is people dying and people being scared enough to believe he was the cause."

"Merlin saved their lives! They need to be grateful, not run him out of the village."

"Unfortunately, they can't see it like that, William."

"If you send him away, I'll never speak to you again!" Will shouted and got up and went to go after Merlin, leaving Leon and Arthur by themselves with Hunith. She bent forward, pressing her face in her hands and sighing tiredly. After a moment, her shoulders started to shake and she was crying.

Arthur looked to Leon who simply withdrew a handkerchief and handed it to her. Gratefully, Hunith took it and dabbed it under her eyes. "Will is right. They should be grateful."

"May I ask, my lady, why did they blame Merlin?" Leon asked quietly.

Hunith sniffed and wiped more tears away. "Not Merlin. His father." Arthur felt his heart clenched as he recognised the problem as one he himself experienced.

"Merlin's father was a kind man. A good man. But he made a mistake and was hunted by the Knights of Camelot." Both men leant forward, more intrigued now. "He... He was a friend and I... I let him stay with me. He was here for six months and no one in town trusted him. He was a strange man to them and at the same time a wolf got the chickens and a child was born with an incurable disease. Of course, they believed sorcery was to blame and Merlin father was accused the sorcerer. Someone reported him to Camelot and he left before I knew I was with child. Camelot Knights came and tore the town apart searching for him, but he'd run. There was nothing to be found.

"The night Merlin was born, there was a great storm. It flooded the village and the lightning set the forest of fire. A unicorn fled from the forests and took shelter in our barn. No one had ever seen before a creature of magic and they surmised Merlin and not the fact we have a storm every time in the season.

"They tried with him, I'll give them that. Most people fell in love with him but there were more with hardened hearts. He falls over a lot, gets into mischief with Will and the villagers all blame his father and not the boyish traits of a child. They say he's too smart to be ordinary. Condemns him because he enjoys reading and Gaius always sends a new book. They say he is too weak, as he cannot pick up a bale of hay without toppling. Now they are saying he is the cause of our illness, because they need someone to blame.

"He's come to the village with two of Camelot's Knights and, the people cannot forget how they destroyed our lives before with Balinor. Now they believe you two have come back to do it again, this time for Merlin. I'm afraid I cannot hold their hate back any longer. At least in Camelot no one knows who he is."

Arthur watched as Hunith rubbed her eyes again before standing. "I should pack his bags and write a letter to Gaius, explaining. I am sure he will take him in."

Hunith started to busy herself and Leon and Arthur shared uncertain looks. How were they supposed to explain to Uther returning home with Merlin? How would the king react?

However, Arthur had seen the townsfolk and he knew Merlin couldn't stay in Ealdor. He wouldn't be safe, and something within him yearned to protect the boy. He got up and went to the window, looking out and seeing Merlin bent over across the dirt road with Will wrapping one arm around him to reassure him. "We best sleep." Leon said quietly, approaching him from behind. "It is late and we'll need to ride through the night to reach Camelot before your father grows suspicious."

From the corner of his eye, Arthur saw a man staring out his own window, glaring at the huddled forms of Merlin and Will. _If he stays, he will surely be killed, _Arthur thought to himself. Mind made up he turned to Leon. "Tell Merlin to rest too. He's coming with us."

"Arthur," Leon said desperately, not wanting to get into any more trouble with the King.

"He's not safe here." he said, more determined than before. "We'll send Merlin ahead of us. Say he came back on his own. He can make a formal apology to my father, take up the apprenticeship left open by Rowan's abrupt departure. Lord knows, Gaius needs help. I can't leave him here, Leon."

Leon sighed, "You've grown fond of him."

Arthur scowled. "No I haven't. He's a child. I can't hurt a child." his voice turned hard. "He's twelve years old and he stood up to my father for a village that doesn't even want him. He's a brave fool and for some reason I'd care if he got killed for it."

Leon clapped Arthur's shoulder. "You too are a child, Arthur. I know you hate to hear it, but you're not yet a man. You're still a prince."

Arthur's brow furrowed and he looked back to Merlin who had stood up and was angrily pacing, yelling something to Will. Merlin had a fire about him that made him hard to contain and understand. He seemed to be kind and loyal, but also stubborn with the tendency to outburst with bottled up anger. He was highly intelligent for his age and was able to read, despite being a peasant. More than anything else, Arthur could tell he was special, though he didn't know why and for some reason he wanted to be the man Merlin told him he could be.

So when he heard Leon's words and saw Merlin still angrily saying something to Will, Arthur smiled wistfully. "Maybe I can be something more."

Leon smiled, a little confused at what Arthur was talking about. "You do know by doing this, you might defy your father. You'll have to be responsible of him and his outbursts. Make sure he doesn't get himself killed by your father."

Arthur shrugged. "It can't be that hard."

Leon shook his head and went to tell Merlin they were leaving come dawn. Arthur went to his bag but a hand on his shoulder shocked him. "I haven't seen you, Arthur Pendragon since the day of your birth." Arthur spun to face Hunith who was smiling gently at him.

"You... You were at my birth?" he concluded.

Hunith nodded. "Yes. Myself and another woman acted as midwives though, neither of us were anything of the such." She stared down at the floor, frowning in memory. "I knew when I heard who you were that it was destiny calling my bluff. Finally pushing to head what I knew to be true: Merlin has a fate far greater than Ealdor. I knew because it couldn't have been by chance that Merlin stumbled into Ygraine's only son.

"Your mother was quite sick when she first fell pregnant and I was in the castle visiting Gaius. I cooked for her one night when all else failed and it just so happened your mother could only eat my recipes." Arthur thought ruefully of the food that had been deemed dinner, and Hunith laughed at his face. "I was in Camelot and had access to more than just barley and wheat. I stayed for all of her pregnancy and one night, Ygraine took my hand and asked me, how she could repay all my kindness. I told her there was nothing to repay.

"She said, 'When you become pregnant, I promise I will do all of this and more for you and your child. I will allow you and your family all the riches your heart could desire.' I said, 'All I desire is for my family to be safe.' She smiled, such a wonderful smile. Your smile in fact... She smiled and said, 'Then I promise you my safety and that your children will be my children and mine yours.'"

Hunith reached forward and gently stroked his cheek with the pad of her thumb. "Alas she died and never got the chance to help with my pregnancy or even to save Merlin's father." Hunith's eyes welled up with tears. "But you have the chance to fulfil her promise, Arthur through Merlin. You have the chance to do as Ygraine promised sixteen years ago and keep my son safe. Protect him like he was your brother, just like Ygraine said, and I will treat you like a son. He is brave and loyal and those are his faults and his strengths. He would sooner die than let someone else be hurt and I cannot have him die." Hunith tugged on his collar. "Please, Arthur. Promise to take care of him. To keep him safe."

Arthur didn't realise he was crying until Hunith was wiping the tears from his cheeks. For a man who swore not to cry, he had been crying a lot in the last week. He nodded and spoke with a swollen throat. "I promise."

Hunith hugged him and Arthur hugged back tighter, the firm grips of a mother foreign to him but comforting nonetheless. She squeezed him as tight as she could, running a hand through his hand to soothe his own tears. "Shush, now." she calmed him with gentle words. "All is well, all is fine, all is safe, if you are kind."

* * *

When Arthur awoke in the pre-dawn morning on the floor, staring up at a thatched ceiling. It took him a few moments to remember where he was and he had to squint in his morning daze. When he did, he sat up to see Leon sipping freshly brewed tea from a clay mug and chatting quietly to Hunith. He turned his head to where Merlin slept and saw the boy curled up on the blanket beside him, staring at the ceiling. "Merlin?" Arthur whispered, careful not to let anyone else know they were awake.

Merlin peered at him and said, "Yes Arthur?"

"It'll all be alright, you know? You'll be living with Gaius in the castle and you can see Morgana and Leon and Guinevere and her brother... We all live in the castle. You'll have loads of new friends and no one will try to kill you with a pitchfork."

Merlin smiled at that. "But then how will I go on my daily run?"

Arthur sighed as though he was being put out. "Well I don't have a pitchfork, but I do have a sword…"

"What will, Will do without me?" Merlin asked, quieting. "His mother is dead. He barely eats unless he is with me."

"I'm sure your mother will take care of him."

"But I'm his only friend. I may make new friends, but he won't. The same idiots still live here."

"I'm sure he will." Arthur assured him. "Anyway. It's either you come to Camelot, or you're run out of town. Either way, Will's alone. At least this way you can visit one another."

"I should've been a better son." he whispered.

Arthur remembered when he was much younger than Merlin and his father had yelled at him for something. He had said the same words to Gaius, who hugged him and let him cry on his shoulder.

"I don't think she wants a better son. I think she likes you." Arthur mimicked Gaius's words and smiled lightly as Merlin perked up at that and shot Arthur a grateful smile.

Before he could say more, Will burst into the hut, almost falling over his own feet. "Is he here? Did he go yet? Merlin!"

Merlin sat up and waved his hand. "Over here, Will."

Arthur felt a kick to his back as Will tripped over him and tackled Merlin back to the ground, sending them sliding across the floor and into the wall. "I'll dig a moat around your house." Will muffled into his shirt.

"You don't own a shovel."

"I'll take Crazy Nathaniel's."

"He'll kill you."

"We'll have a moat."

"You'll still have to dig it, not to mention get the water... And even if you did manage that, Nathaniel can swim."

"Can nothing kill that man?"

"The gods are still trying."

Will pulled away and said, "Maybe while you're the physician apprentice, you can learn about poisons for us."

Merlin smiled, realising it was his friends way of saying he was letting him go. "Fine."

Breakfast was a quiet affair, with no one having much to say. Just a little after dawn, they headed out to the horses and Leon mounted his steed as Arthur waited for Merlin to finish his goodbyes to his mother and Will.

Arthur couldn't say who was crying more out of the three of them, but when Merlin was done hugging Will and went to Hunith, Will grabbed Arthur by the arm and sharply tugged him aside. Arthur stumbled as Will twitched his nose and narrowed his eyes, looking every bit the demon the townsfolk made him out to be. "I heard you last night. Talking to Hunith. I was gonna grab my jacket before I went home. Here." From his pocket, Will pulled out a noble seal and shoved in in Arthur's hands. Arthur unfolded the peice of paper and read it.

_Sir William IV_

_House of Fernwall Knight of Essetir. _

_Married to Danielle of Ealdor. _

_One son, William V._

The seal was blue and orange and Will looked fiercely proud of it. It seemed that Will wasn't lying after all about his title. "That's my father's seal. I don't have one. Never got it made up. Do you know what that makes me?"

Arthur nodded, already knowing. William was a noble and in Camelot law, able to become a Knight. "You're of noble blood."

"Yes. I am. I know your kind Arthur and a promise to a peasant means nothing, but an oath to a fellow noble." Will stuck his hand out to shake. "Swear to me you'll take care of the idiot."

Arthur wondered what it was in Merlin that struck up such strong emotions in everyone. He had never planned on breaking his word to Hunith, but now he was making an oath to a fellow, not a little boys mother. With someone who, he was taught, to break an oath with would be the greatest sin.

It was nerve wracking and Will watched and waited until Arthur gave in and shook Will's hand. "I swear Will."

Will nodded and let to of his hand. "Break your word and I'll have your neck."

Arthur couldn't help but be impressed with Will and smiled. When Merlin finally detached himself from Hunith, Arthur helped him into his horse then got in front of him, taking the reins and taking off towards Camelot. Merlin's small arms were wrapped around his waist and his face buried in his back. Arthur could feel the tears seeping through his jacket but said nothing.

Despite the ending on Merlin's life in Ealdor and the boy's disappointment, Arthur couldn't help but feel that this was a new era. The dawning of a new time. And it was all because of Merlin.

* * *

Along the road, a few villages north of Ealdor, a young blond women of at least twenty stared into a scrying bowl, scrunching her nose up in disdain at the sight of the village of Ealdor, up and living.

Her eyebrows scrunched above her warm brown eyes in confusion. _How did they all manage to survive?_

She had checked just yesterday morning and it seemed the town was in ruins, their deathly slumber going to be the end of them all. "What are you looking at?" A woman with sparkling blue eyes looked over her shoulder. "That village? Again? Do you not have better things to do with your spare time?"

The young blonde sorceress turned her nose up in disdain. "You said I can do what I wish with no interference."

"This is quite useless."

"He scorned me." the woman hissed. "Used me like a courtier and threw me aside like a serving girl." Her face relaxed somewhat and she leant her arms on either side of the scrying bowl and leant forward. "Anyway. It was one spell and a village of useless peasants who fear magic like it's the devils assistant. Good riddance to them all."

"Will you ever learn, Morgause. There is a time to be foolish and this is not it. You are still in training and have not yet been blessed as a high priestess, yet."

Morgause twisted her lips into a snarl. "And whose fault is that?"

"Patience, my dear. You must learn patience."

"But I do not wish to know of patience. I wish to seek out revenge on Uther Pendragon for throwing me from my home, killing my kin and tearing apart my family. Why must we be patient, Nimueh?"

The older woman's youthful face turned into a rueful grin. "For neither you nor I are powerful enough on our own... I have foreseen my death at the hands of a Warlock and I do not wish to see it pass. No, instead we will wait. Wait and gather our own army, then take Camelot for all our own." Nimueh pressed her hands against Morgause's shoulders and calmed her with a gentle squeeze. "Trust me, my dear. Patience is key."

* * *

Review my lovelies.


	10. Welcome to Camelot

**A/N: **Well hello there. How are you all? **IndiaMoore**, **xPrincessoftheSkiesx**, **bubzchoc **and **babyglover**, thank you for your reviews. **A maze thing**, **Solar07 **and **gorgeousangel**, you have all expressed the same thing. Why leave Hunith and Will behind? Well in Hunith's case, I don't have a plotline for her in mind and it would be a waste... And Will, will return! Only for now, Merlin needs to be alone. But, your wishes are noted and I'll see what I can do. :) **gorgeousangel**, I just have to say your first review - for some unknown reason - made me laugh so hard I had tears in my eyes. Don't know if you intended to make me laugh or if I've finally just lost it, but thanks for that. :)**  
**

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Merlin, there'd be a lot more interesting language... Though for this I have stuck with the vernacular of the show.

* * *

**Welcome to Camelot**

When Merlin arrived in Camelot, the king didn't even notice his return and for that, Merlin was grateful. He didn't want to be noticed, didn't want to be seen. He wished for nothing but his mother and the familiar scent of his family home and had no longing to see the stocks again.

He couldn't even be mad because there was no one in the vicinity to be mad at. No one could argue that Gaius wasn't trying. He had been surprised to see Merlin back so soon and looking so disheartened. Leon quietly explained why and handed Gaius the letter that Merlin had attempted to tear up in his despair the night before when they set up camp for the night.

The knight and the prince had left him alone and Merlin had let his thoughts race until anger made him attempt to tear the unopened envelope his mother had written up into shreds. Leon had snatched the paper from him and told him to calm himself but all Merlin did was growl and storm off to walk it off, neither of the others following him.

No, Merlin couldn't be mad at Gaius. He had set up his old apprentice chambers as Merlin's very own and bought him a new chest to put on the end of his bed and apart from the very strict lecture that he was not to use his magic, was quite kind.

"But sometimes… Sometimes my magic just happens." Merlin said, in an effort to explain his occasional lack of control.

Gaius frowned. "Just happens? You simply feel the need for it and it comes to you?" Merlin nodded, his head bobbing like an apple on the water. "That is strange, my boy. Very strange indeed." Gaius didn't elaborate but kept going with his lecture. The more he spoke the more Merlin felt like some sort of strange creature that needed to be tamed. _Why do I have magic? Why can't my life just be easy and boring like everyone else's?_

All in all, Merlin had few possessions. Mostly, they were books and he put the old ones in the bottom of the chest and the others stacked up next to his bed with an oil lamp on top. When his room was finished being set up, Gaius decided to leave him alone to settle in.

Merlin curled up in his bed and sobbed.

* * *

His first night in Camelot officially - and not unconscious and dying from a magical ailment or him and Will so tired from the stocks they fell asleep before they could bathe - was so cold he couldn't sleep at all, even with the new comforts of a bed. So instead found himself wandering the castle until he found a few guards gathered around a fire.

He peered at them from where he hid then recognised one of them. "Sir Leon?"

Leon looked up and jumped in surprise at the shaking Merlin. "Merlin? What are you doing out here?" he asked. The other three guards peered at each other with frowns on their faces as Leon approached him and threw his cloak around his shoulders. "You're freezing." he hissed.

Merlin nodded, tiredly. "My room is cold. I'm not used to sleeping without a fire."

"Why didn't you ask Gaius for some extra blankets?"

He shook his head. "He's done too much." he mumbled.

Leon looked over his shoulder to the others. "I'll return. Let me just take him back."

The guards murmured to allow him and Leon wrapt one arm around Merlin's shoulders and led him back to Gaius's chambers, careful to creep past the sleeping man. "You wait here." Leon said, tucking Merlin back into bed. "Keep my cloak and I will return with extra blankets."

Merlin's face scrunched up, eyes watering. "I don't like it here. I want to go home."

Leon tried smiling and ran a hand through Merlin's hair. "I cannot imagine what this is like for you, Merlin but I assure you. Camelot may seem lonely but you will not be alone. You have many friends here already."

"Who?" he asked, reluctantly as he believed 'no one' was the answer.

Leon smiled, "Well me for one. I hope you don't mind."

"No." Merlin curled his fingers around the cloak, tiredly. "I don't mind. You seem like a good friend."

"Thank you." Leon smiled, appreciatively. "And I'm sure if you asked Arthur, he too would be your friend."

"Arthur?" Merlin snorted. "The Prince of Prats?"

Leon chuckled. "Yes. I suppose he is a bit of a prat sometimes, but he is good-natured and he cares for people very deeply. Now you need to stay here. I will return for my cloak soon." But Merlin didn't remember if Leon did return or not but did find his cloak was missing and a few thick blankets were covering him instead.

* * *

In the morning, Merlin went out into the physician's chambers to eat breakfast and saw Gaius sitting there, already with a bowl of porridge for him with a selection of fruits. "I asked the kitchens to prepare me something as a treat. Usually we don't bother them, but I thought today we could do something special. We can go to the town later and you can show me what foods you like, if you wish." Gaius offered.

Merlin smiled and nodded. "I'd like that."

Gaius offered to take Merlin on his rounds so he could also show him the town and he agreed, washing his face in a bucket Gaius provided him first.

In all honesty, Merlin was a little excited at exploring Camelot. He knew what the stocks and Gaius's chambers looked like, but he had barely seen the kingdom the last time he was there. But before they could even leave the castle, Merlin felt someone leap on his back from behind. "Merlin, you're back! Are you going to stay?" he jumped high but then steadied himself and put down whoever had held him in a vice grip. He turned to see a flushed Morgana had jumped him with an equally excited Gwen behind her.

"Uhhh... Yeah." his normal floppy grin adorned his features. "Do you mind?"

Before Morgana could reply, Gwen threw her arms around his neck and knocked him to the ground. Gaius chuckled, reminding Merlin he had an audience. "I can show you the town another time. You three go have fun." The physician said.

"Ugh, thanks Gaius." he wasn't completely sure if Gaius leaving was a good thing or not. Gwen pulled away from him, her cheeks flushed and apologising for jumping on him. "No... It's alright." he assured her. "Didn't know you two were going to miss me so much."

Morgana looked a little miffed as Gwen helped him up. "Yes well, Gwen couldn't stop going on about you and I just couldn't stand it anymore. I was about to send her off to Ealdor to see you."

Gwen shook her head. "It wasn't like that." she promised and by the look she was giving Gwen, Merlin grinned stupidly as it implied maybe the opposite was true and Morgana was going to run off to Ealdor on her own accord. It definitely seemed like something she would do.

"What happened in Ealdor anyway? Why are you back here?" Morgana asked bluntly.

Merlin's happiness faded and was replaced by a deep anger and sadness. He dug his teeth into his lip and then replied, "I chose to come back. Learn to be a physician." Gwen frowned but said nothing.

Morgana beamed. "But today you're not training are you?"

He looked around to see Gaius nowhere in sight. "Doesn't seem like it."

"Excellent." Morgana took Merlin's hand and dragged him off. "Let me show you around and I'll tell you about the horrible time I had to endure with my Aunt the Lady Patrice."

The three of them explored Camelot together and ended up feasting on cakes and sweets - Morgana enjoyed her desserts more than anything - in a small alcove that was long enough to fit them all comfortably lying down and was dug out in a thick wall between two hall and chatted.

"Can you believe it Merlin? Lady Patrice didn't have any sort of sweet. The old crone's so fat, she probably ate it all herself. Though she's constantly going on about a lady watching her waist." Merlin honestly didn't care much for Morgana's stories about Patrice but pretended because it was entertaining watching her speak. Gwen kept snickering to his left, obviously realising it was more of the way her mistress told a story than the story itself that was exciting.

The alcove was short and Merlin could only get in if he doubled over and crept through and his head grazed the ceiling when he stood half way up.

"When I was much younger and I was visiting the palace, Arthur and I would hide in here from officials, or use it to run away as we were small enough to crawl quickly through to the other side and no adult in their right mind would crawl through this to chase children." she laughed, licking cream from her fingers.

Merlin watched as Gwen was more prudish about how she ate, separating her share into piles and naming them, 'Now', 'Elyan', 'Father', and 'Later' under her breath.

He grinned. Gwen held herself and her tongue more like he thought a noble would, whilst Morgana seemed to speak, with her strange lilt, whatever it was she thought. The girls were complete opposites, yet, Merlin noticed they moved as one. When Morgana moved left, Gwen shifted slightly too and when Gwen stopped to gather something, Morgana would take a momentary pause unconsciously and wait for her. They were the best of friends and sometimes, when Morgana got too flustered with her words, Gwen would step in and explain, often shyly what her mistress meant while Morgana would expand on Gwen's often quiet speeches.

Thinking more to what Morgana had said reminded Merlin that since he arrived in Camelot the previous afternoon he had not seen Arthur. "Where is Arthur?" he asked curiously. "I mean... The King hasn't punished him for helping me, has he?"

"I don't think he knows. I only found out because of Sir Leon." Morgana chewed through some cake easily and leant back against the arched wall of the alcove and kept her feet straight out in front of her. "And Arthur's just attending to his duties. He is to be made a knight soon and given his own patrol and still has a lot of training to get through."

Merlin looked surprised. "But he's so young."

"That's what I said. But he's the Prince of Camelot. He has his duties, I suppose." Morgana reasoned. She held out some sort of pastry stuffed with strawberries and cream. "Try this. It's delicious."

Before he could reply, Morgana had already shoved half the thing into his mouth. He took a wary bite and chuckled through the crust as strawberries oozed out. He shoved the rest into his mouth earning a snort of laughter from the girls and smiled at the taste. "It's good." he said through chewing.

Morgana beamed at him and then directed him to try – shoved food down his mouth – all these different sweets he had never seen before until his stomach was aching.

Later, when Morgana had to go dine with the King, he was left alone with Gwen who seemed to be in two minds about staying with him. "Please. I'm afraid Morgana might have poisoned me with all that dessert." Gwen frowned, still hesitant. But after Merlin smiled widely, she made up her mind and led him to what she deemed her favourite place in the whole of Camelot.

She led him to one of the gardens of Camelot that stood heights above the rest of the city. There was an edge without a tall guard, which hovered over the rest of the kingdom and from it, you could see almost every point of the kingdom. Gwen curled her dress under her and sat just below the very short ledge and looked over to watch all of Camelot packing up to head inside for their own dinners and Merlin sat by her side, crossing his legs and leaning back on his arms.

"So why did you really come to Camelot?" Gwen asked eventually. Merlin looked up in surprise and Gwen was faintly smiling at him, encouraging him to speak. When his face contorted into one of confusion she said, "My whole life I have sat back and observed the goings on in others homes. I know when someone is lying. You don't want to be a physician. Anyway, you loved Ealdor and Will and your mother too much to come and live in Camelot. There is a faint bruise on your cheek. Something must have happened."

Merlin sighed, touching the bruise and looked away from Gwen and out towards the hills he knew descended into Ealdor, his home. "I think my mum is right. They would have killed me... Eventually."

"Who?"

"The people in my village. They were scared of me."

"Why?" Gwen questioned, looking horrified.

Merlin shrugged, not able to tell her about magic but knowing she wouldn't drop the topic. "Because I'm different." When Gwen continued to look confused, he sighed. "I fall over a lot, strange things happen around me... They thought I somehow was to blame for the illness. Basically the superstitions of a small village."

Gwen frowned. "That is no reason to throw out a child."

"Ah, but the big ears are." To make the point, he pushed out his ears making them more prominent and even made a face. She couldn't help but laugh and Merlin beamed back.

That was all he wanted.

To make people smile.

They turned back to face the setting sun and Gwen knelt against Merlin's side. He was surprised for a moment but then relaxed with her under his arm and wrapped his arm over her shoulder, the sun warming their skin for a pleasant change. The two watched the sun set together and he rested his chin on her head, eventually growing cold and hungry. "Come have dinner with me and my father and brother." she offered.

"I would, but Gaius is expecting me. Tomorrow?" he asked.

Gwen beamed and nodded. "Tomorrow then."

They both rushed to their homes and Merlin bolted in just as Gaius finished pouring a vial of potion. "Where have you been, boy? I was worried!"

Merlin had never really had a curfew before, always running in and out of the forests and around the village with Will from dusk till dawn, Hunith has more or less surmised they would never miss a meal, therefore was only ever worried should they come when dinner wasn't on the table. _Yet another new thing I'm going to have to remember._ "I am sorry." he said. "I was with Morgana and Gwen and then just Gwen and we went all around the castle and ate cakes and..."

Gaius chuckled, the worry seeping from his face. "Just next time warn me should you be running late. Come now. Dinner is on the table."

He started eating then asked Gaius if it would be okay if he had dinner with Gwen the next night. Gaius said it would be fine. He made Merlin wash before bed and he did, sinking underneath the warm covers.

* * *

The second night in Camelot, he couldn't sleep because of a nightmare. Too tired to discern unconsciousness from dreams the night before, now that Merlin was well rested he dreamt of his mother and Will throwing him from Ealdor into Camelot where his magic was discovered and he was burnt on a pyre.

He bolted up, gasping and the heat of his fevered dreams reminding him of the flames. He thought of Sir Leon and remembered the way to his post, so gathered up a blanket to cover himself and went to seek out the knight.

When he got to the post, he peered around as he did the night before but this time couldn't discern one guard from the other. Carefully he called out to his friend. "Leon?"

The four guards turned and Merlin's eyes widened in horror. Not one of them was the knight in question. "Well, well, what do we have here? A street rat, sneaking around the palace."

"I wasn't sneaking. I was searching." Merlin replied, backing away as the much larger man approached him. The other three were snickering, looking for trouble.

"Searching then? Searching for what? Diamonds? Golds? Are you a little thief, boy? Do you know what we do to thieving children?" The guard slapped him on the same side Emun had and Merlin fell to the ground.

He took a moment to recover, his face still tender from Ealdor. In that time, the guard went to attack him again. Prepared for it, as the guard lunged for him, Merlin picked up his blanket and threw it at the guard. It fell over his head, blinding him for long enough to allow Merlin to escape.

He turned the corner and ran. "Halt!" he looked over his shoulder to see the guards chasing after him, his blanket thrown to the ground. But Merlin was small and lithe and ran a lot faster than the muscled men and their heavy armour.

He didn't want to go back to Gaius's chambers and lead them there. He was afraid if he got into trouble, Gaius would throw him out of Camelot and then where would he go?

Up ahead, Merlin saw the familiar gargoyle. Recognising it as the one that Arthur had walked him passed on the way to his chambers the night he took him from the stocks, he took a hard right and bolted. _Leon said, Arthur was your friend... Let's see how friendly he is now with guards chasing me?_

He ran up the stairs and down the hall, reaching Arthur's chambers before the guards could see where he turned. It took him a moment to fumble with the door but once he was inside he clambered over to the bed and shook the prince awake. Arthur leapt up and looked around then spotted Merlin's panicked eyes and partly swollen face. "Merlin?" he said, genuinely surprised, not having seen him since their return.

"Hide me!" he begged. They both looked up to hear the guards feet stomping down the hall and without a better idea, Arthur quickly pulled Merlin into his bed and hid him under the covers, pulling them back over the both of them.

The guards footsteps fell and Merlin held his breath as they stopped outside his door. Quietly, the door opened and Merlin shook under the covers but Arthur wrapped one arm around him and held him still.

"Prince Arthur?" Merlin recognised the guards voice as the one who had tried to attack him and whimpered. Arthur raised his hand up and tightened it around his mouth and then pretended to be weary, ignoring the fact that his blood was pumping with energy.

"Hmm?" he looked over his blankets, keeping Merlin tucked into his side and frowned. "What is it?"

"Sire, may we search your chambers? We saw a peasant boy run this way."

Arthur asked, "And what did he do?"

"He attacked us, down in the chambers before the dungeons." Merlin shook his head under the blanket but Arthur spread his fingers out over his face and squeezed to still him. Merlin whimpered again and Arthur's fingers dug into the fresh bruise on his face, so the heel of the Prince's palm muffled the sound.

"Have you sounded the alarm?"

The guard hesitated. "We felt no need. He was merely a child."

"A child who attacked you?" The guard hesitated again but this time Arthur jumped on it. "How did he attack you exactly."

The guard paused then said. "He tried to blind us... With a blanket."

Arthur merely nodded. "I see. Well then, search my chambers. I'm sure you'll find my room free of all dangerous blanket wielding children." The guard wasn't sure if Arthur was being serious or not but finally called his fellows to enter and search Arthur's room. Merlin prayed to every deity they wouldn't see the trembling lump clutched tightly to Arthur's side.

Arthur watched them from his awkward half lean in his bed and waited until they appeared to have finished. "Well then?"

"Nothing sire."

"Well I suggest you go back to your posts because in this time a great many could have gotten out of the dungeons and escaped. I'll stay awake just in case the bells toll, shall I?" the guards all seemed to realise at the same time they had let the dungeons unattended and all rushed out, closing the door behind them.

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief then pulled the covers up and peered at Merlin underneath. "You are becoming more trouble than you're worth, Merlin."

He had meant it as a joke, trying to calm him but, instead, his only words confirmed what Merlin had feared ever since his mother told him to go to Camelot. That no one truly wanted him.

His bottom lip trembled and he curled up in on himself, trying to hold back the tears. He didn't want to cry in front of Arthur. He barely knew him! But his body didn't want to cooperate with his brain as he gasped for air and cried.

Arthur was shocked and then gaped. "I... I didn't mean... Oh no. Stop crying. I... I command you!"

But at the same time as Arthur spoke, a sob had bubbled up in the back of his throat and he choked on it as he blubbered out. "I just... Want... To go... Home." he said, repeating his words from the previous night and feeling awfully childish but refusing to let go of the fact that he was still a child and had no idea how to act.

Arthur winced and very gently touched his shoulder. Merlin leant into it and, quite unexpectedly, fell into Arthur's unwilling open arms and cried into his nightshirt. "Fair warning. I'm not good with my emotions let alone others." Arthur said, patting his back awkwardly.

But it seemed, all Merlin needed was to cry. Arthur waited out the sobs until eventually they all went away and Merlin was simply sniffing. He looked up at Arthur, his lashes clumped together with tears and said, "Thanks."

"You're welcome, I suppose." Though Arthur wasn't terribly sure what he had done or even if he was comfortable with it yet. He had no idea how crying solved any sort of problems. He was still confused at to why he had cried _twice_ in _one_ _week_. "You know... This is only your second night. Give it time and Camelot can be your home too."

Merlin shook his head. "It will never be home. Home is with my mother and Will."

Arthur wanted to tell him otherwise but the look of heartbreak on his face was horrible. It was then he noticed the hand shaped bruise on his face with a long fresh bloodied slit Merlin had yet to notice, made from the gauntlet scratching his skin. "What happened? Did the guards do that?"

Timidly, Merlin touched his face and hissed at the pain, pulling his fingers back and finding blood. "S'pose so. He hit me."

"Why? Why were you in the dungeons?"

"Honestly I didn't know where I was. Last night I was cold and I couldn't sleep and went for a walk and found Leon standing guard down there. He got me blankets and took me back to my chambers. Then tonight I had a nightmare and went down to find him again... Only he wasn't there."

"The knights only spend a night a week with the guards to ensure they are working properly. It is on a roster." Arthur murmured more to himself. "Why did he hit you?"

"I don't know. He wouldn't tell me where Leon was and accused me of being a thief. He hit me and I fell and then I threw my blanket over him and ran. I wasn't going to come here, but I recognised the gargoyle at the end of you hall." Merlin curled up into himself further. "I'm not going to be executed, am I?"

Arthur laughed then coughed to cover up his amusement. "Um... No. I don't think my father executes people for having bad dreams."

"I really don't think that would be what he'd accuse me of." his voice was dark, laced with images of his nightmare on the pyre. "Does he even know I'm here?"

"No, not really."

They sat together quietly for a while, both of them questioning what to do next. "You can't go out. They'll be searching for you." Arthur said, answering the unasked question of where they should go from there. "And I could find Leon and get him to smuggle you back, only he's probably asleep and I can never remember where his lodgings are."

Merlin started crawling out of the bed. "I can sneak back. I think I know the way."

It took a moment but Arthur stopped Merlin, grabbing the back his collar. "Wait. What about this nightmare?"

"What about it?"

"Well obviously it was bad. What were you going to do with Leon?"

"I don't know... I suppose not sleep." He frowned a little. "Honestly, I rarely think these things through."

Arthur scoffed at the under-exaggeration and Merlin glared as though he read his mind. "Now if you'll let me go..."

But Arthur hauled him back in the bed by his collar. "Nope. As I said, the guards will be on high alert trying to find you. You made them look like fools and they probably won't forget it. So I highly suggest you stay here."

"What will I do?" Merlin asked, confused.

"Well Merlin, it's the middle of the night so you could possibly, I dunno... Sleep?"

"But..."

"If you have a nightmare, I'll wake you up. And... And if I have one you'll do the same." Arthur added the last part reluctantly. He hadn't taken his potion that night, or the night before, unwilling to ask Gaius for more. The nightmares had plagued him and Arthur had barely slept. But now he had a sleeping buddy, almost – though he would never actually admit that. He laid back on his pillow then cleared aside the opposite side of his bed and shoved Merlin onto it. "There. You sleep there, I sleep here. Now goodnight Merlin."

With a harsh gaze in his direction, Merlin relented more so because he was too tired to do otherwise. "Goodnight, Arthur." Merlin relented, curling up under the covers.

The sound of the crackling fire from the hearth, the warmth of the blankets and softest bed in the world _doubled_ with the faint smell of wood burning that reminded him of home and soon had Merlin drifting off.

Nightmares did strike him that night, but for each of them, Arthur woke him up with a firm shake before they could be remembered, and by morning he only had wisps of images in his head. To his surprise, Arthur had nightmares too, only his caused him to beat his pillow down over his ears to cover phantom noises, so whenever Merlin felt the bed shift beside him, he woke and started poking Arthur until he opened his eyes.

* * *

After catching only a few fitful hours of sleep between the two of them, Merlin woke just in time to see the sun rise. He twisted underneath the covers and closed his eyes to catch a bit more sleep when a soft snore reminded Merlin of exactly where he was. _Wouldn't he have a manservant come and wake him up around this time?_

Not wanting to be seen by anyone, Merlin snuck out of the bed, briefly glancing at Arthur who had both arms curled up underneath him. His pillow was missing, tossed aside in the midst of a nightmare and never replaced. Merlin laughed quietly at that and left the chambers and headed back to his own.

A little down the hall from the physicians chambers, he heard Gaius's voice. "Merlin? Merlin!" With a frown he scurried up the last few steps and entered the chambers.

"Gaius?" he called out.

Gaius turned and faced Merlin, relief washing over his face. "My boy, where were you?" he cried, darting forward and hugging him. "I went to wake you for breakfast but you weren't there. What happened to your face?"

"I..." he hesitated then told Gaius everything from the end of the dream to sneaking out of Arthur's room and explained the previous night with Sir Leon. "Merlin, you know you could have simply come to me." Gaius said, sadly.

Merlin smiled. "Now I do."

Gaius sighed a little then hugged him again to make sure he was alright. He went off and started making ointment for his bruise and broken skin and Merlin went to prepare breakfast for the two of them. Just as he finished applying the ointment and Merlin had started breakfast, the door opened and in strode Arthur. "Ah, Merlin. You're alive."

"Counting your blessings?" Merlin replied cheekily.

"Trust me. You are not one of the ones I count. Anyway, I thought seeing as Camelot is your new home you should explore it."

"It's okay, Arthur. Gwen and Morgana showed me all around the castle yesterday."

Arthur faltered and looked disappointed in himself then stood up as a thought passed through his head. "Ah, yes but have you seen the town?"

Merlin chewed through his oatmeal, oblivious as ever. "Gaius was planning on showing me today."

Arthur's face dropped and only Gaius registered it. "Actually Merlin, I won't be going to the lower town until evening and aren't you having dinner with Gwen?"

"Guinevere?" Arthur laughed. "You're having dinner with Guinevere!"

"Yep." Merlin said with a charming grin. "I get invited places, Arthur. Who was the last person to invite you to a dinner?" Arthur tried to reply, but no words came out. "That's what I thought."

"Come on. Before I change my mind."

Merlin grinned. "Let me change. I'm still in my nightshirt."

All in all, Merlin had four nightmares in his first week in Camelot and each time he'd go straight to Arthur's room, occasionally sleeping on he floor by the fire and waking up to find himself in the bed and the prince thrashing and gripping his hands to his ears.

Morgana and Gwen allowed Merlin to join their 'inner circle' of sorts, and the girls showed him much of Camelot and taught him some of etiquette whilst he taught them things he knew like trapping and releasing small wild animals that took refuge in their homes and how to spin clay.

Camelot was far from his home but Merlin decided, as he convinced Morgana maybe cake for lunch everyday wasn't the best thing for her health and forced her to eat an apple a little over a fortnight later, that he might call it home yet.

* * *

**A/N: **Every reviewer gets a cookie!

/watch?v=-qTIGg3I5y8


	11. How to Dance

**A/N: **This is a little drabbly... I wrote it for **Distressed Clover** whose at home sick. I had this idea and quickly wrote it out... It's a filler, for sure. But for you, **Distressed Clover **get better soon! **Guest,** just read on until right at the end...

**Disclaimer: ***ahem* This is a pre-recorded message and is not, I repeat, not said under duress. I don't own Merlin. No one is holding a gun at my head.

* * *

**How to Dance**

It was early morning during Merlin's third week in Camelot and he was helping Gaius with his rounds. The old physician and Gwen had shown him where all the herbs grew and he'd written on a parchment the differences between them all to remember whilst he was learning.

His days had fallen into a routine. He spent the morning with Gaius, attending his rounds and then he watched Arthur and Leon train and tagged along with them on their duties for the rest of the evening until dinner.

He only saw Morgana and Gwen when Morgana managed to sneak away from the other ladies in court who were supposed to be teaching her etiquette and stitching. He tended to notice though, that Morgana much preferred sword training and hitting Merlin over the head. It didn't help that she was a head taller than him and an entire month older, a fact she stubbornly reminded him on any given occasion where he proved her wrong.

Sometimes Gwen wouldn't be working, Morgana in long council meetings and dismissing her. During these times, Gwen sat with Merlin in the alcove with a book and he taught her how to read and write. She had always wanted to learn, but her mother thought it more beneficial for her to learn how to stitch and clean instead. Her father taught her smithery so no one had taught her words.

It was a long process but Gwen knew now how to spell out her own name and half the courts. He noted she took special care with the way she did her lettering, curling the a's and looping the end of her g's and y's in a completely girly manner. But the pride in her face when she wrote out her full name correctly for the first time made Merlin feel a little proud too.

Gwen was just a few weeks younger than Merlin and he often felt obliged to stick up for her when one of Morgana's crazy schemes went a step too far and Gwen looked undeniably nervous. He just thanked the gods when she finally agreed with him that stealing the official laws of Camelot and changing them to suit their own needs was a bad idea.

Although, it would have made his magic situation a lot better.

He couldn't explain it but going a day without using magic made him feel ill. Therefore, thrice a day, Merlin alleviated his nausea by making the books in his room frolic about his chambers.

For now, he was okay. Merlin was even smiling as they walked through the lower town. "Merlin!" He looked around and saw Gwen bounding down the hill and coming to a stop in front of him. "I'm glad I found you. I forgot to ask you yesterday."

"Ask me what?" Gaius looked at the two impatiently and Merlin nodded his head to Gwen. "Walk with us?"

Gwen obliged. "Tonight, there is a wedding in the lower town. Everyone will be there. Would you like to come?"

"Who's everyone?" he asked.

"Well myself of course. And you'll finally meet my brother and Leon..."

"Sir Leon?"

"Well... Yes. He grew up alongside of us. My mother was his nurse and when she died, he came often to visit." Gwen rambled. "Oh and Morgana is attempting to sneak out, but only if Helena is asleep."

Helena was Gwen's superior and Morgana's official maid. She would work alongside of Gwen until she was old enough to take the duties on herself. Merlin didn't exactly like her and her mean smirk and neither did Gwen or Morgana. "Can I go, Gaius?" Merlin asked, looking up at his guardian.

"As long as Sir Leon or Elyan walk you back to the castle." he said, his thoughts more concerned with the guards.

"Of course! I'll tell Elyan." Gwen then raced off. "See you tonight then Merlin!"

Night fell quicker than Merlin expected and he was standing beside Gwen watching the hand fastening ceremony conducted by one of the officials. Upon kissing, the bride and groom were surrounded by cheering and joyous cries and Gwen took Merlin's hand and led him through the crowd.

The streets had been cleared and torches lit as celebrations echoed around the lower town with cheers.

Music was played by players and around the central fire, many danced and ribbons were spun around bodies and wrapped around maypoles.

Merlin didn't quite know when he lost Gwen but she fell into a dance with the other women, giggling and he stood back. "Hello there Merlin." Merlin looked up and saw Sir Leon there, out of his knight's uniform and in trousers and a shirt. Beside him was a dark skinned man, possibly Arthur's age with a jug of ale in his hands sitting on a large keg, tall enough for him to lean over to watch Merlin. "How are you enjoying the festivities?" Leon asked.

Merlin grinned. "I've never seen a wedding like this before."

"So you're the great Merlin who I keep getting told about." the boy beside Leon offered out his hand. "The name is Elyan. I am Gwen's brother."

"Merlin." he greeted back.

Though Merlin had shared dinner with Gwen a few times now, Elyan had always been too busy to join them and his name sometimes was accompanied by a look of disappointment from Thomas or said stares into the depths of her bowl from Gwen. Merlin had imagined Elyan would be much taller than he was but couldn't help but see the slight similarities between brother and sister, such as the kindness in their eyes.

"So do you fancy my sister, Merlin?" Elyan asked honestly and Merlin was sure if he'd had a drink in his mouth, he would have spat it out.

"What? No!"

"Calm down, calm down." Elyan laughed. "I'm just teasing... Though I know she fancies you."

Merlin's ears turned bright red. "She... She does?"

"She can't stop yammering on about you. Merlin this and Merlin that. Are you teaching her how to read? I almost feel as though there was no need for introductions."

Merlin felt the heat light up his face and Leon scolded Elyan. "Don't be cruel, Elyan."

"I'm not! She talks nothing of sunshine or daisies or rainbows... It's all, Merlin, Merlin, Merlin. Makes a man worried to hear of his sisters infatuation."

Merlin blushed furiously red and then turned to look at Gwen who was standing on the edge of all the dancing, watching on excitedly. "Oi, Merlin." Elyan poked him in the shoulder. "Do me a favour please? My sister rarely smiles, always busy with order and duty. It will make her year of you ask her to dance."

Merlin's eyes widened. "But you just said..."

"I was only teasing. Anyway, it's good to see Gwen talk about something other than working and preparing dinner. She hasn't had it the easiest over the last few years. Please... If you would?"

Merlin thought of how much Gwen did for him since his first arrival in Camelot and bit his lip. "I've never danced any of these dances." he said, nodding to the crowd. "I know a few but..."

"Just grab her and swing her around." Elyan pushed him on and Leon was smiling, encouraging him. "Go on."

Merlin inhaled then walked to Gwen, trying not to stumble. He stood beside her and she looked at him twice before recognising him. "Oh, hello. Didn't see you there. Isn't it all pretty?" she asked, pointing to the swirling dresses.

"Uhuh." Merlin said quietly, counting the whirling and steps in his mind. Once he found he knew the rough pattern and steps, he turned his head to Gwen and held his hand out. "Want to dance?"

Gwen flushed and turned her head around, looking for someone. "Me?" she asked curiously.

"Ugh… Yeah."

"O-Okay." she took his hand timidly and Merlin pulled her towards him and held one arm on her waist and the other in her hand. She put her hand on his shoulder and Merlin took a quick glance at the other dances to see what they were up to.

He counted quickly two beats then pulled Gwen into the throng, spinning her around. They made a few mistakes at first, but once they both fell into the pattern of waltzing and turning and twisting each other around, they found themselves laughing and enjoying themselves and somehow the centre of the attention around the fire.

The fact was, they were having so much fun, neither of them wished to stop.

There were other dances too, some of which Gwen talked him through until he understood and others where Merlin copied the other footsteps. But some they were free to do as they wished and in those ones, Merlin would just spin Gwen around until they were both giggling and dizzy.

It was overall, the first night in Camelot he spent where he was truly and utterly happy. They danced until their shoes were worn in and painful but it didn't matter.

They were both feverish and sweaty and starving as during all their dancing they didn't eat. When the party started to depart in the early hours of the morning, Merlin snuck into the kitchens and stole food for the both of them plus Leon and Elyan then the four of them took it back to the physician's chambers.

"And where were you four tonight?" Gaius asked, having woken at their entrance.

He didn't look angry though and Merlin just grinned, still flushed with exertion. "Just dancing. You wouldn't understand, old man."

Gaius lightly hit Merlin over the head then stole some of their kitchen loot.

It was a little over two weeks later when Merlin found himself searching for Gwen, Morgana and Arthur but none of them were around. His brow furrowed as he searched all their usual haunts, their rooms, the alcove, the armoury and the training field, only to find Leon. "Do you know where everyone is?" Merlin asked the knight.

He smiled, his eyes glinting with some amusement. "A Lord is arriving for a visit and some grand feast has been prepared. The Lord is a lover of music and dancing, so Arthur and Morgana..." he trailed off to let Merlin catch on.

Merlin's eyes lit up mischievously. "Where?" he asked.

The next thing he knew, him and Leon were watching from the balcony above the great hall as Arthur and Morgana attempted not to kill each other as they stepped on each others toes.

The pinched faced Helena and a dance instructor, Cristopher, were trying to teach the graceless royals as Gwen sat and watched a little way away. For the fifth time since Leon and Merlin's arrival, Cristopher showed them the steps. "I know that dance." Merlin whispered to Leon.

"How?"

"Gwen taught it to me. On the night of the wedding."

A grin grew over Leon's face and before Merlin knew what was happening, the older and stronger knight was pushing him down the stairs onto the floor of the great hall. "Excuse me?" Leon called out. Cristopher and Helena looked offended as Leon interrupted their dance lesson and Arthur looked as though if the earth swallowed him up, he wouldn't be offended. "But maybe this boy can show them."

Helena looked Merlin up and down but Cristopher was the one who was offended. "How could this peasant boy, know a dance better than I?"

"Not just him..." Leon grabbed Gwen up and she reluctantly stood, fighting him and hissing, 'No! Leon...' under her breath. "These two are the best dancers in all of Camelot. I know. I've seen it with my own eyes."

Arthur laughed. "Merlin? Merlin can dance? He can't walk in a straight line without falling!"

"I'll have you know, he's a very good dancer!" Gwen snapped in Merlin's defends then realised what she said and squeaked out, "Sire."

Morgana looked annoyed that Gwen seemed to know this about him and she didn't, crossing her arms over her chest to hide her jealousy. "Show us then. I want to see."

"Morgana!" Helena hissed.

Merlin blushed but turned to Gwen, holding out his hand. She hesitated then took it, just like the night at the wedding. Merlin pulled her slightly closer then looked at her. "One, two, three, four, five, six..." they both counted together and started dancing. It was much slower and more calculated than the way they danced at the wedding, both of them trying so hard not to mess up. Apart from one beat where Merlin started stepping left instead of right and did a strange skip to keep up, they managed the entire dance to perfection.

It was clear from the faces of Cristopher and Helena they weren't pleased with Leon being right about their dancing abilities but it gave Cristopher an idea. "Morgana, pair up with the boy, and Prince Arthur the serving girl. Maybe the problem is you simply cannot dance with each other."

Merlin let go of Gwen and turned to face Morgana who was now red in the face and looked nervous. Merlin peered at Gwen who was visibly shaking at the prospect of dancing with Arthur. He lastly looked to Arthur who was annoyed, though Merlin couldn't tell if it was because he had to dance with Gwen or because someone could do something better than him. As he didn't scowl when he took Gwen's hand, Merlin assumed the latter with some glee.

Anyone would have thought Leon was a proud mother watching his children's weddings the way he was beaming, and Merlin now felt like scowling at him for the embarrassment. But, like a gentlemen he held out his hand to Morgana and she accepted.

It was more awkward than when he first started dancing with Gwen. For one, he had grown a little since getting to Camelot as he was actually eating something other than wheat, barley and berries, but she was still taller than him.

Also, Morgana wore some intoxicating perfume and he wanted to lean closer to smell it, only the dance instructor kept correcting the space between them, saying as they twirled, people should see straight through to the other side of the room. It wasn't how he had danced with Gwen, but then again there had been no room on the streets or any etiquette to say Gwen and Merlin couldn't court each other, thus no gap.

Morgana smiled a bit to him once she started getting the hang of the dance and stopped needing to look at her feet. "You know, this isn't so bad." she said quietly so neither Cristopher nor Helena could hear them.

Merlin smiled.

There was no doubt in his mind that Gwen was beautiful, only it wasn't the sort of beauty that made Merlin grin like a fool. Merlin had a type, apparently. He'd discovered it at a young age when he fell insanely in love with a girl with dark brown locks, almost like midnight, skin like the moon and warm inviting eyes.

Morgana's eyes twinkled like apples under the sun, but they were still beautiful and kind and mischievous to boot. He shied as she smiled at him softly and almost tripped when he remembered the last time she'd smiled at him in such a way she'd kissed his cheek not soon after.

He turned his head away from her to concentrate and watched Arthur and Gwen. They were moving steadily, Gwen dutifully and patiently counting the beats as Arthur tried to follow but it seemed there was something the prince wasn't good at.

Dancing.

"It's useless." he growled. "Why do I have to dance anyway?"

"We don't have any more time for today." Cristopher sighed. Merlin and Morgana were split apart by Helena and Merlin tumbled back into Leon.

He grinned stupidly at Morgana as the effects of her perfume wore off with their distance and she laughed a little. "Come now, Morgana, Guinevere. We must make haste to get Morgana's new dress fitted."

Morgana made a face that her nurse could not see but Merlin could. He laughed again and the girls all left. "Tomorrow then. And beware, sire. Your father will make you dance tomorrow evening at the feast and the entire Court will be there."

Arthur paled at this and when Cristopher left, grabbed Merlin by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to his bedchambers, ignoring Leon.

"How do you know how to dance?" Arthur demanded.

Merlin shrugged. "Gwen taught me."

"When?! You've been here for a month!"

"Technically, six and and half weeks if you include my initial stay..."

"_Mer_lin!" Merlin discovered whenever the prince was annoyed at him, wished him to shut up or simply make a point, he would stress the first part of his name. It had happened a lot since his arrival.

"Well, I could teach you."

If there was anything in life Merlin regretted more in life than those five words, he'd yet to find it. Because the next thing he knew, Arthur was holding his hand and had one hand on his waist, forcing him to teach him. "But I don't know how to be the girl!" Merlin objected as he was forced to put his hand on Arthur's shoulder.

"You are a girl, Merlin. Now teach me!" Arthur said grumpily.

It took twenty minutes for Merlin to first learn the steps backwards then another hour for Arthur to learn them at all. By the time he did, however, Arthur still couldn't lead and Merlin wasn't sure how to stop. The confusion led to Arthur falling backwards and Merlin standing over him for a change.

"I think, I know your problem." Merlin said, helping Arthur up again.

"What?" Arthur demanded but Merlin had already run from his chambers and told Arthur to wait.

When Merlin returned, he had Morgana, Gwen, a plate and a spoon. "Merlin!" Arthur growled, not wanting his step-sister to know what he was doing.

"Arthur, introduce yourself and ask the lady if she wishes to dance."

Merlin said pushing Gwen forward. She stumbled a bit and Arthur caught her before she fell. "Sorry about this." Arthur muttered.

"No problem." Gwen said shakily.

Merlin started to tap out the rhythm on the plate and Morgana hummed the rest of the music. They could both hear Arthur counting under his breath and saw him staring at his feet but eventually, he had it and was watching Gwen instead, a grin on his face. "I did it!"

"See!" Merlin grinned. "All you needed was the music."

"Bravo, Arthur. Now Gwen we need to get back before Helena finds us!" Morgana said, abruptly finishing her humming. Merlin snickered as she grabbed Gwen and started dragging her off, the handmaiden giving a polite little wave before completely darting off.

Arthur grinned and turned to Merlin. "Gwen's really a great teacher, isn't she?"

"But... I just... My feet... Yeah. She is." Merlin dumped the plate and the spoon on the table and grumpily stormed out of the room, leaving a confused Arthur in his wake.

* * *

**A/N: **Please leave a review for this chapter and the previous. I like to hear your thoughts.

Just a heads up. Chapter 12, 13 and 14 will be another slight build up, just establishing the relationship namely between Arthur and Merlin. Then Chapter 15 will make sense. :)

I don't usually do this but I have a feeling this next one is going to take me a little longer to upload so... excerpts to tied you over:

_*"What is his obsession with getting himself killed?" Arthur demanded, taking off after him, Morgana and Gwen not far behind.*_

_*The bed was shabbily made, the clothes Arthur disapproved of piled around the place, the breakfast left on the table and his armour half sprawled on the table, the other half on the floor. "You do know that you're going to have to clean this all up."_

_Merlin looked around. "Yeah." He didn't actually, but he was fine with pretending.*_

_*"I'm hopeless, aren't I?"*_

_*"Well, I didn't know you were the tea party kind, Merlin, but surely you could have found a better venue for it."*_

_*Arthur smacked his head. "That's right Leon. Just give him a deadlier weapon to knock himself out with."*_

_*Arthur swallowed. "I umm... Got into an accident whilst training."_

_Uther's calculated gaze did not shift. "Training? Training with whom?"*_

And one from chapter 15 which, from then on in it'll be mainly the main plot line and only a few extra drabbly things...:_  
_

_Not wanting to talk of it much more, Arthur changed the subject. "Why were you staring at your dagger when I came in here?"_

_It was Merlin's turn to burn bright red and he nervously tugged the finely crafted blade from his pocket. "I was... I was thinking about my father."_


	12. The Hardest Job in Camelot

**A/N: **So I keep trying to replace Chapter 10 with the page breaks but for some reason FF isn't letting me. I find this annoying because I get frustrated when there aren't page breaks but there is a definite scene change. **Distressed Clover**, you're welcome. Glad you felt better. What's glomps? **Unified Nations**, thank you. :) **India Moore**, lol... That's my voice... I want to try that now. **bubzchoc**, thank you! **gorgeousangel**, In regards to the adorableness, yes. I felt like kicking Merlin out of his village was enough torture for now (there will be more and somewhat more violent torture to come) so I tried to ease the burden. And I wrote it unappreciated. :) BUT if you wish it to be jealousy, go right ahead. I don't write slash, but I do write bromance and stories people can read with slash coloured glasses. I'm fine with interpretation. And yes! I wanted to write something cheery for a change. Like I said. There will be more to come.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Merlin... Do own DVD's of Merlin. (Thanks Mum... Now I've got no idea how to hide them from my roommate who will relentlessly tease me for being a fan)

* * *

**The Hardest Job in Camelot**

Gaius worriedly looked into his partly empty pantry where her food supply was dwindling and then back at his coin bag. He couldn't say that Merlin was eating him out of house and home but since Merlin's arrival he had spent a lot more on food to feed the growing boy.

It seemed never in his life had Merlin eaten well before, especially if his size was anything to go by. He loved the boy and he enjoyed hearing his daily escapades. Never having his own children, Gaius wasn't completely sure about spending and their needs and maybe had gone over his budget, not having enough coin for his supplies for the month.

His last houseguest, Rowan had more or less paid his own way, with a job at the Sun Rise Tavern working nights. _Maybe it's time Merlin had a job... _He didn't want the boy to work at such a young age but maybe it was the only way.

"Gaius?" Gaius spun around and saw Merlin standing there innocently, staring at him and looking a little lost. "Are you alright?"

_If we keep going on like this we might not have a home..._ Gaius thought sadly. He went and patted Merlin on the back. "We need to have a chat, Merlin."

Merlin looked concerned as Gaius walked him to the table and sat across from him, clasping his hands together. "I know you do enjoy running around with Gwen and Morgana and Arthur day after day and I quite enjoy having you around. Only we seem to have a problem."

Merlin's eyebrow popped up, in a fashion similar to Gaius's own and he had to do a double take, wondering if the boy had been copying him behind his back. "What is it?"

Gaius bit his lip and strummed his fingers together. "I've never quite paid for any expenses other than my own and I did not quite see how much extra coin I would spend taking in a ward. When I took in your mother, she had her own inheritance and it was only for a few months. I'm running out of medical supplies and quite frankly, food. Merlin, I think you might need to find yourself a job."

He had expected some resistance from Merlin. Even some argument. But what he didn't expect was Merlin beaming at him. "Alright then. I'll go out and find one."

"Really?" Gaius asked, watching as Merlin bounded up and went to the door.

"Yeah. Sure. How hard could it be? In a big kingdom such as Camelot, I'm sure there are loads of jobs that need doing."

* * *

"What am I going to do?" Merlin groaned, sitting in between Gwen and Morgana with his face buried in one of his hands. Gwen was tending to the burn on his other hand from his morning trying to be Thomas's assistant blacksmith. Morgana, on his other side, was trying to clean the muck on his hair from his very brief stint assisting the horse trainer and Merlin honestly didn't want to consider going back to the only job he'd been half descent at, assisting the strange, over weight and greasy Sir Duffery bathing.

Merlin shivered at the thought.

"There's still a whole lot of jobs you haven't tried." Gwen encouraged. "It's only been a day."

"You know I never really did much in Ealdor apart from help out on the farms. I'd help on the farms in Camelot but they're a few hours journey by horse." Merlin then frowned. "Well actually, there is one other thing I'm quite good at, but I don't know how much coin I can get from being able to run from one end of the castle to the other in under fifteen minutes."

Morgana perked up and looked at Merlin with an open mouth. "I actually think I know the perfect job for you!"

* * *

"No."

"Oh, but please Arthur!"

Arthur snorted. "No."

"Why not?"

Arthur stared at Morgana, trying to figure out of this was one of his step-sisters cruel jokes. Merlin, on her left, looked sincere. Gwen looked panicked as always, but Morgana was downright demanding.

"Do you have any experience in being a manservant?" Arthur asked, ignoring Morgana and looking to Merlin.

Merlin wore a puzzled expression.

"Can you clean my room?"

Merlin thought grimly about his own room but nodded anyway.

"Polish my armour?"

He glimpsed the amour standards hard and saw his reflection in the metal. _Why do you need to see your reflection in armour? Why would armour even need to be polished? Isn't it going to just get dirty anyway? _ Despite his thoughts, Merlin nodded again.

"Dress me?"

Merlin frowned at this. "Can't you dress yourself?"

Arthur shook his head. "Nope. He can't be my manservant."

Gwen shoved Merlin forward. "Of course he can dress you. Merlin it just involves picking out his clothes and ensuring they are stitched and laundered." she added the last part quietly to him.

"Oh alright. Yeah, I can do that." But in the back of his mind, Merlin was questioning whether a man who needed to be dressed in the mornings really did make a good future king.

Arthur, on the other hand, was looking at Merlin's outfit incredulously. A brown pair of trousers with an orange shirt. There were holes in his arms and a few worn out parts in his jacket. The strangest thing was the scarf-type thing he wore around his neck in a blue colour. _How is **he** supposed to dress **me**?_

Instead of pulling out more questions on his fashion choices, Arthur thought of the worst possible jobs that Merlin would have to do working for him. "Your daily chores would include mucking out my stables, drawing my baths and cleaning my chamber pot." he added.

Merlin blanched but with one sharp prod from Morgana and a whisper in his ear from Gwen, reminding him it was one of the best paid jobs in the entire kingdom, he pushed his vomit down and nodded. "Yes, alright then. I can do that." _Magic,_ he thought himself. _I'll do the last one with magic._

Arthur fixed him with a hard stare, scrutinizing his every twitch then finally said, "No."

"Arthur! You haven't had a personal manservant in months! You're running all the other servants up the wall as they try and make up for all your manservant isn't doing." Morgana argued. "Merlin is doing you a favour!"

"My manservant will also have to serve me at banquets and dinners with my father, Morgana." Arthur said sternly. "Or do you not remember that he king has no idea of Merlin's return?"

Merlin was still surprised by the fact he had not seen the king. He'd been living in Camelot for almost three months now and not once had either of them crossed paths. Though, that wasn't a big deal or anything. The King was obviously a busy man.

Without a second thought, Merlin asked, "If the King agrees, would you let me be your manservant?"

Arthur's face fell. "Merlin, you can't even consider-"

"But if he does order you, you can't disagree." he went on, a small grin on his face.

"Merlin..." Morgana started, her face now filled with concern, but it was too late. With an idea already in his head, Merlin left Arthur's chambers and took off down the hallway.

"What is his obsession with getting himself killed?" Arthur demanded, taking off after him, Morgana and Gwen not far behind.

They lost him, halfway down the hall and none of them quite knew where to go. "Two of us need to go find Merlin and the other go distract Uther." Morgana said to Arthur.

"But where is my father? I don't know his schedule!"

Gwen leant over the window and made an urgent noise. "I think I found them both." Gwen pointed to the courtyard and both Arthur and Morgana clambered up to see.

* * *

Merlin was panting a little and flattened his hair against his head as he approached the king, mounting his horse and going to go inspect the collapsed wall in the lower town. All the guards eyed him warily, a few even recognising him as he approached.

The King glanced at him and then turned back after recognising him. "You. You're the boy from Ealdor."

Merlin nodded then bowed. "Merlin, sire."

"What are you doing back in Camelot? Did you not leave months ago?"

"I returned, sire. I have lived with Gaius as his new apprentice." Merlin added nervously. If there was one thing Merlin had learnt to be good at in his many years of pranking Ealdor, it was to grovel for forgiveness and use his disarming eyes to his full advantage.

Will used to say it was his best feature, after he would pout and blink innocently at the farmers wives and they would be clambering to forgive him. "I wished to apologise, sire. For the way I spoke to you. It shouldn't be an excuse however I was petrified for my village and mostly my mother. She's the only family I have and I'd do anything to keep her safe."

Uther studied him in great detail then nodded curtly. "You are forgiven. I do understand the loyalty family stirs in a man, even a man as young as yourself. Did Hunith survive?"

Merlin staggered at the king actually remembering his mothers name then recalled the fact she had lived in Camelot briefly, years ago. He had he to ask Gaius what that was all about. "Yes, she did. Gaius wrote out the potion for me and I collected everything and made it. That is why I returned. I would like to be a physician someday." Small lie.

"Well there is no greater teacher than Gaius, of course." Uther nodded. "Well I must be off..."

"Sire!" Merlin interrupted and Uther bristled. "I may be living in Camelot and studying, however I am not being paid. I have looked for much work and finally your son said, if you approved, I could be his manservant. I would still be attached to the castle for my studies and I'm quite a quick runner." _When it's a flat surface with nothing to trip on, _he added mentally.

Uther looked amused whilst a few of the others outright laughed. "You wish to be Arthur's manservant?"

"Yes." he wondered what was so funny about it.

Uther pulled out a bag of coins from his pouch and handed them to his guard. "Place my bet on one week."

Merlin was thoroughly confused as Uther then proceeded to trot off on his horse. "Is... Is that a yes, sire?" he called out.

"Yes indeed." Uther called back, laughing as he did so.

Arthur, Morgana and Gwen finally reached the courtyard once Uther was well out of sight and Merlin turned around, grinning. "I got the job."

Arthur smacked his head whilst Morgana and Gwen beamed.

* * *

With Gwen and Elyan's help, by that evening he had all his chores written down and was sitting on the edge of his bed attempting to clean his soup bowl without touching it.

His magic was purely instinctual. He had heard of Druids and sorcerers who needed spells to cast magic, but Merlin had never known any spells. _I could use some now._

So Merlin went to bed, still wondering how he could avoid the chamber pot work.

He was awoken, what felt like ten minutes later, by Gaius, standing above him and calling his name. "Time for you to get ready. Arthur must be awoken at dawn and you still need to have breakfast."

Merlin groaned and rolled back over. "Five more minutes..."

"Merlin." Gaius scolded. "Do you want to be washing Lord Duffery's back again?"

Merlin shot out of bed and clambered over until he was searching for hole-free clothing to wear. When he was ready and scarfed down his breakfast, he promised Gaius he would return in time for his rounds, then went to the kitchens.

After explaining to the cook he was Arthur's new manservant, the woman got a ridiculous grin on her face. "Oh boy. Am I going to make a pretty penny from you." she ruffled his hair and sent him on his way.

Merlin was starting to wonder what sort of a master Arthur was with everyone from the cook to the King betting against him. He half stepped, half tripped into Arthur's room and set the food on the table.

He looked at the snoring Arthur then woke him up by shaking him. "Arthur, wake up." Merlin said.

Arthur jolted and looked around then to Merlin. "What kind of a wake up is that?" he asked.

Merlin frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Arthur wildly gestured. "Why did you shake me?"

"I thought it would wake you up."

"Don't!"

"But it's my job!"

"To shake me?"

"No, to wake you up."

"Yes Merlin. Wake me up. Don't give me my own personal earthquake!" Arthur growled, throwing his covers off him and pushing past.

Merlin made a face behind the grumpy prince's back. "Obviously not a morning person, then." he muttered.

Arthur turned and glared. "What was that?"

"What will you be wearing then?" Merlin replied cheerfully, going to the wardrobe which was the next on his detailed list.

The look Arthur gave him would have made the devil shake, but Merlin simply stared back blankly. "Clothing would be appropriate."

"I think so, unless you want to give the Court a shock." he replied, then paused for thought. "Some of those people need a shock though. Especially during the longer speeches... Your blue shirt or your red shirt?"

"I don't know. You're supposed to look at what I have on for the day and decide."

Merlin made a small 'oh' with his mouth and turned back got he wardrobe. He knew Arthur had training with the knights first so got out something appropriate to wear under his armour.

When Arthur finished eating he went behind the screen to change and came out a second later. "This, is a dress shirt." he tossed it at Merlin and it landed over his head. "The cotton one is for training."

He winced and tried again but Arthur threw the shirt again. "That's not cotton!"

Merlin glared into the cupboard. In all honesty, he was only used to one type of fabric. Itchy. _What the hell is cotton in this thing? I'm not a seamstress! Wasn't that one cotton? Wasn't... Oh._ He found the actual cotton shirt and tossed it to him.

"Thank you!" Arthur said, clearly exasperated.

It took a few more painful minutes for Merlin to realise he'd given Arthur his night pants and not his training pants (but really, who could tell the difference?) and then tried making the bed.

Merlin had never slept in a bed until he came to Camelot, let alone made one. The bed in his room was only ever made when Gaius gave him a particularly hard glare and it was never done particularly well.

He smiled, a little satisfied when he pulled the cover over and placed some pillows in a fashionable looking way but a moment later, Arthur came out and looked around the room. He seemed to see the room from a totally different stand point. The bed was shabbily made, the clothes Arthur disapproved of piled around the place, the breakfast left on the table and his armour half sprawled on the table, the other half on the floor. "You do know that you're going to have to clean this all up."

Merlin looked around. "Yeah." He didn't actually, but he was fine with pretending.

He didn't have time to even try to clean the chamber pot with magic, because soon he was careening over to the training field holding an array of armour and weaponry.

He kept dropping things and Arthur was impatiently growling at him, trying not to say anything but looking like her was about to lose his patience at any given second.

On the actual training field, Elyan took pity on him when he dumped all of Arthur's equipment on the table set up for the equipment, then had no idea what to do with it all. "Here. I'm delivering the new equipment from the forge but I've got enough time to show you how it's done." Elyan helped him lay out all the equipment correctly and then showed him what it all was.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted from the centre of the training field.

Arthur was looking mad so Elyan nudged Arthur's sword into Merlin's hand, straightened his collar and pushed him forward with an encouraging nod. "Now relax. I got a weeks wage that you'll last longer than a fortnight."

Merlin looked up about to demand an explanation about all the gambling when he fell into Arthur who was glaring down at him. "_Mer_lin!"

"Your sword, sire?" he said sheepishly.

To say Merlin wasn't particularly helpful on the training field didn't even begin to explain it. It seemed like every five minutes he was falling over or forgetting something or doing something wrong and he could see Arthur becoming angrier and angrier as the seconds went by.

Then finally Merlin tripped over his own feet and all of Arthur's armour fell into a horribly placed mud - _please be mud, please be mud, please be mud _- pile and Merlin went sprawling into it not even a second after.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted. He threw his hands up in the air. "Are you really this hopeless? Or are you putting on a show to be the servant I fire the quickest?" He shouted. Merlin looked up and a few of the guards were snickering, exchanging bags of coin amongst them.

He flushed and buried his head. "Sorry sire. I'll clean this."

"No!" he shouted. "You'll just kill yourself with the damn rag! Just... Just go! You're fired! You're hopeless, you can't clean my room, you can't even pick out my darn shirt! God knows what will happen if you attempt to clean my rooms. Just go!"

Merlin turned beet red and looked down at the armour below him. "Just let me -"

"Go!" Arthur yelled once more and this time, Merlin bolted.

* * *

Merlin felt someone sit beside him on the wall on the edge of the castle. He had found the place one of the days both Morgana and Arthur - and by default Gwen - had been busy and he was alone.

The wall was low enough so that should he fall, at worse he'd break something and no one really went there. He hadn't known anyone knew he went there until he looked to see Morgana beside him and couldn't even muster up surprise.

"I tried." he sighed.

"Well then, you're just going to have to try harder." Morgana said stubbornly.

"He fired me." Merlin said, glaring at her as though she didn't understand. "Fired." Morgana poked him. Hard. "Ow!"

"I fired Gwen no less than twelve times when she first came to work for me, but she just simply kept coming back. Morning after morning she came and woke me up with that annoying, 'Good morning, Milady'. So eventually, I stopped firing her. Now go and be that annoyingly cheery person I know you are! It's the highest paying job in the kingdom because of how difficult Arthur makes it. You can't ask for better."

Merlin stared at her suspiciously, his blue eyes glittering as her face stayed stubbornly set. "How much money do you have resting on me, and for how long?"

Morgana's bottom lip twitched. "I have no idea..."

"Morgana."

She growled. "Six crowns for a month."

Merlin gaped. "How much is the return?"

"Double or nothing."

"D-double!" Merlin thought about it then asked, "What about the return for longer six months?"

Morgana scoffed. "You can't be serious."

"Morgana."

"Triple. But no one's ever lasted that long. Not since Arthur turned nine."

Merlin smirked. "Six months and put an extra six crowns on for me. Whatever profit those six crowns make is mine."

Morgana grinned. "Fine. But only because I have this feeling I should believe in you."

* * *

Arthur walked into his chambers and jumped in surprise a little when he saw the room perfectly clean with his bed just being finished by none other than Merlin.

He growled as he arrived, still not quite over his anger at his incompetence that morning. At the sound of his angry arrival, Merlin looked up and grinned. "Let me help you with your armour." he said, bounding over.

"I thought I fired you." Arthur said, not moving from the doorway.

Merlin nodded. "Yep. Then I rehired myself."

Arthur's face screwed up in confusion. "You... You can't do that."

"Technically I can. As your previous manservant, it's my duty to help hire a new manservant for you... I hired myself."

Arthur stepped into his chambers and started taking off his armour and dumping it on the table. "You can't just rehire yourself Merlin."

"Yes I can, Prat."

Arthur glared indignantly. "You can't call me that!"

"You do know that behind your back, there is a large gambling ring in the castle betting how long it will take for you to fire me." Merlin said, ignoring Arthur's protests. "I can help you make a lot of money. More money than what you pay me for a years wage."

Arthur grew quiet and then curious. "How?"

"Betting that I'll last longer than a year as your servant, you'll get the entire gambling pot. No one is crazy enough to bet that, but all you need to do is throw in one single coin under Gaius's name and keep me around for a whole year. And share half with me." he added the last part.

Arthur scoffed. "Share half with you?" he snorted. "Why would I do that?"

Merlin cried out, "I'm going to be cleaning out your chamber pots!"

Arthur shrugged. "Fair call... But you can't bumble about all the time!"

"It's my first day!"

"I have a feeling you're naturally this hopeless." Arthur commented.

"Well I have a feeling you're naturally a clotpole but I haven't said anything yet, have I?" he said, his arms across his chest.

Arthur gaped, his ears burning. "You can't call me that!"

"Why not?"

"Because I'm a prince!"

Merlin frowned. "You can be a prince and a clotpole. I'm pretty sure they're not mutually exclusive."

"_Mer_lin!"

"Will you hire me back?" Merlin asked, quickly changing topic. "We'll split it fifty-fifty for the troubles."

Arthur stared at him, scrutinizing his every movement. He then looked around the room, the place relatively clean. He turned to his armour and back at Merlin. "You're going to have to polish my armour and then get me my dinner from the kitchens and Gaius has a potion for me and -"

Before Arthur could say any more, Merlin produced his dinner from wherever he'd been hiding it and a small polish cloth and vial of sleeping draught. He grinned. "Anything else, prat?"

"_Mer_lin!"

* * *

**A/N:** Reviews make stories come out faster... Just saying...


	13. Being Both Man and Child

**A/N: **Kind of like writing from Arthur's perspective. I tried to write in Merlin's perspective for this chapter, but I felt it was an Arthur moment. **bubzchoc**, thank you! I secretly love you've been reviewing since chapter 1. Please don't stop. :) **A maze thing**, reading your detailed reviews always makes me grin. I actually feel your excitement after reading a chapter and that in return makes me excited for writing the next one. **Mediatrix, **I liked the idea of everyone, including Uther, knowing about the gambling ring, and not Arthur. **IndiaMoore**, soon. I promise you. I'm dishing out one more chapter of fluff, then no more fluff. All Merlin becoming badass and learning who he is. :) **jayley**, thank you!** gorgeousangel**, thank you very much! Hehehe, I don't know why I like Morgana and Merlin moments... I really can't say, but I just do. **Serpent Prince**, I'm glad you enjoyed it and laughed. Yeah, I actually felt quite proud at the last few paragraphs and had written them first, before I wrote the beginning. **Distressed Clover**, hahahaha... Well, just so you know, I rarely hug people without tackling them so, glomp to you too. :) I think I'm becoming a NiceMorgana/Merlin shipper... Which is strange because I rarely ship OOCanon. (Avatar: Last Airbender, Zutara... That's it actually)

So now... ONWARD!

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Merlin but Season 5 in one week!

* * *

**Being Both Man and Child**

When Merlin first asked to be Arthur's manservant, Arthur had been reluctant (outright refused) and with hindsight, he realised he should have said no when Merlin pleaded to be rehired (thrown him out the window and never looked back). The boy had been clumsy just normally but now... Arthur had no words to describe it! How could one boy be so... so... Hopeless?

_Think about the money, think about the money..._

Arthur had never had so many cold dinners in his life. He had never been late to so many meetings in his life. And he had never had to pull any of his servants out of the stocks more. Mostly Uther would throw him in there when Merlin fell over his feet in Court but Arthur had too once or twice (a few dozen) when he'd been utterly fed up.

_The money, the money, the money, the money..._

But there was more than that. He kept thinking of what Leon had said in Ealdor. That he allowed Merlin to come. That he had promised to keep him safe and thus was responsible for him. Like he was Arthur's ward. Or at least that's how it was in Arthur's mind. Half the time he was angry with him and the other half, he regretted ever laying eyes on the boy!

But then sometimes he would say something and Arthur couldn't help but laugh (even though he would turn it into a loud scoff a second later) and their banter could go on for hours, Merlin more intelligent than he looked (though Arthur would never admit that). He spoke to Arthur in a way no one else dared. In a way no one had dared to for a very long time. _Don't think about that now, Arthur…_ he scolded himself lightly, inspecting his bruised face in front of the mirror.

Instead he thought of about how he ended up with the bruise on his face…

* * *

Merlin had rushed in to serve his dinner, late as usual, but this time with his head bowed to the floor, instead of looking up at him with a cheeky and apologetic grin. He put his food on the table with shaking hands and then wiped his eyes on the back of his sleeve. "Sorry for being late, sire."

Arthur had, had a long day and honestly hadn't given any of it a second thought at first. "It's fine, Merlin. Just pour me some water, would you?"

Merlin nodded and did as he was told. His hands were shaking as they poured but Arthur was so caught up in some letter from a knight complaining about mistreatment, that he didn't notice the soft splashes on the table.

Merlin sniffed loudly and turned away. He went and stood on one side of the room and barely shuffled foot to foot, which was strange because Merlin rarely stood still. It was half way into his meal that Arthur realised there was no conversation. Merlin had been working for him for three months now and in the weeks previous to that, following him around like a tail and Arthur had been unable to find a way to shut him up.

He finally looked up and saw Merlin sniff and wipe at his face again. "Are you crying?" Arthur asked, astonished. Merlin didn't reply and he kept staring at the ground. Arthur frowned and said, "Merlin, look at me."

Merlin shook his head and rubbed his face again, but this time hissed. Now Arthur was concerned. He frowned and repeated himself only with more authority. "Merlin, look at me."

This time Merlin looked up. Slowly at first, shying his head to one side to reveal his left puffy red tear filled eye and a cut under his eye. Then he tilted his head over and Arthur saw a cut on Merlin's nose and remnants of crusty, hastily wiped away blood down his nostrils. His right eye was swollen and a mix of red, blue, purple and black. Arthur's jaw dropped.

He had just seen Merlin at lunch and training and he had been fine. In fact he'd been his normally bubbly and annoying self. Maybe even more annoying because Arthur had been tired and quite short with him.

"What happened?" Arthur asked, getting up and going to Merlin's side. The boy shied away as soon as Arthur went to touch him and Arthur backed off. "I'm not going to hurt you." he said carefully.

Merlin shook his head. "I know. It just hurts in general."

Arthur looked him over then, being as gentle as he could, led him over to his seat and sat him down. Merlin's knuckles were bruised and his hands were cut up, blood seeping slowly from the splits as Merlin strained them. Whatever happened, he had been trying to defend himself.

Arthur grabbed the napkin on the table and poured water into it the pressed the cool fabric against Merlin's hands, cleaning up all the excess blood. "We need to get you to Gaius." Arthur said, looking back to see Merlin's softly weeping eye. He didn't look distraught, just in a great deal of pain.

Merlin's good eye flew open and he shook his head, shouting, "No!"

Arthur was confused then his eyes hardened. "Did Gaius do this to you?" he demanded. He had known Gaius his entire life and whilst the man had a mean streak in handing out foul tasting potions, he had never imagined the old man beating someone, let alone a child.

Merlin's eye grew wider and shook his head. "No. Nothing like... No! It wasn't Gaius! How could you even think that?"

Arthur relaxed slightly but not altogether. He looked at Merlin's eye and winced. "Merlin, tell me what happened." Arthur rarely pleaded... Actually, he hadn't since he was ten and wanted his father to let him play with the other children instead of train and he'd been delivered with a backhand across the face. Now he was on his knees in front of his servant, pleading to know what happened to him as he tried to clean his wounds.

"I... I went to go collect herbs for Gaius and I..." he shook his head. "I fell." he said stubbornly.

Arthur actually wanted to hit Merlin himself but thought that this was as good a time as any to practice his Kingly patience and gave Merlin an imitation of the look Uther used to give Morgana and Arthur when he caught them doing something he didn't approve of. "Merlin." he said and almost jumped in surprise at his Uther impression.

Merlin's face contorted and he growled. "It's fine! I didn't think... You know usually when this would happen in Ealdor, I had Will to back me up."

Arthur tried again to coax his servant's trust, but only this time softly. "Merlin." he tried.

It seemed to work. Merlin groaned and tilted his head back, wincing at a sharp pain that erupted in his shoulder because of it. "I was collecting herbs and had some free time. There are a bunch of boys my age... I should have known really. They were nobles. They fish and play by the stream everyday and I simply asked if I could join. They said yes but... I don't think we had the same things in mind."

"They beat you." Arthur said quietly.

"They said it was because I was a servant. Because servants don't deserve to be play games as they did." Merlin wiped his eyes and Arthur wasn't certain if it was pain or something else that made Merlin tear up. "I've never been a servant, Arthur. Gaius doesn't have enough money to have me living with him. I could have taken up any job. I'm not just a servant." he said adamantly.

Arthur couldn't deny him. Merlin was in fact a freeman. He was not actually a serf. "Anyway, I tried punching but there were far too many."

Arthur gathered that part and assumed the boys were children of lords and Knights. "So... Why can't we tell Gaius any of this?"

Merlin shook his head and looked to the ground in Arthur's room that he had cleaned. "Because I don't want him to realise that I'm... That I'm..."

Arthur nudged him lightly when he drifted off. "You're what?"

"That I'm no good." Merlin said, looking up at Arthur with hopelessness in his eyes.

Arthur felt his stomach turn and knew it was still Merlin's fears that his mother had thrown him out and sighed, deciding to do be a man about things and get Merlin the proper kind of help. After catching a moment to breathe, Arthur leant forward and wrapped his arm under Merlin's waist to help him up. Merlin looked worried but Arthur gently led him to the door. "Where are we going?"

"To Gaius."

"But-"

"Trust me."

With those words, Merlin shut up and Arthur quickly and quietly led him through the castle to the physician's chambers without anyone spotting them. Merlin kept wincing as he walked and hissing in pain, silent tears making their way down his face.

Merlin entered the chambers first and Arthur went in just after him, Gaius just looking up as he walked in. His face fell as he spotted Merlin and he looked aghast. "Merlin, what happened?" Gaius quickly gathered him up and started cleaning up Merlin's cuts and bruises as Arthur recounted the story.

Merlin sat in silence as Gaius produced a foul smelling poultice for Merlin to put over his eye. He, unwillingly, did as Arthur finished the story.

"How many were there?" Gaius asked.

Merlin shrugged. "Three... Ish." Gaius gave Merlin a pointed look and he sighed and said, "Five, possibly six. I think they asked someone to join them and I heard him but couldn't see him."

Gaius was far smarter than Arthur because he lifted Merlin's shirt up to see a large array of bruises there. Arthur hissed at the sight of them, his anger bubbling beneath his skin. "Why didn't you come straight to me?" Gaius gushed.

Merlin was lost for words when Arthur interrupted and said, "My fault. Told him if he was late with my dinner I'd throw him in the stocks... Again. He seems to take his job as my manservant too seriously."

"It seems an empty threat, seeing as Merlin is in the stocks almost daily." Gaius said, but didn't press the issue. Merlin shot Arthur a thankful look and then resumed to flinching whenever Gaius touched a particularly tender spot.

Once his wounds were dressed and bandaged, Arthur helped Merlin to his room whilst Gaius cleaned up. Merlin sat on the edge of his bed before Arthur gently pushed him to lie down and draped his covers over him, just like he did on Merlin's first night in Camelot. The only difference was, this time Merlin was awake and conscience. "I'm hopeless, aren't I?"

Arthur actually wanted to agree but the bruises and cuts made him stop and Leon's words about responsibility flew through his head. _Be Kingly, be Kingly…_ "What makes you say that?" That was one of his father's tactic, was it not? Answering uncomfortable questions with questions.

"I can't polish amour, I'm not good at getting you up on time, I always bring your dinner late, I'm always falling over, not to mention the fact that I'm obviously the worlds worst fighter."

Arthur chuckled at that. "We always knew that, Merlin. The rest, you'll learn in time. Anyway, you're not the worst servant I've had. I never told you about Hamish?"

Merlin ignored him. "I'm a cruddy ward... And a worse friend." His voice lowered and he muttered quietly, "S'no wonder my mother didn't want me." Arthur wasn't supposed to hear the last part, but Merlin hadn't accounted for the fact he had hunters senses and things that seemed quite quiet, weren't.

Again, Arthur wondered how in Gods name it came down to him to comfort his manservant. It took him a moment to search for the words, then channelled his inner Morgana to try. "You're a great ward. I have never in my life seen Gaius so happy. He loves you and would give the world to keep you safe." he said honestly. It was true. The old man had always been gentle and kind to Arthur and all children, but Arthur had never seen him so happy. "And... And Morgana seems to like you so you can't be a horrible friend. I think if Gwen didn't think she'd be killed for it, she'd stop bowing at my feet and start bowing at yours. You're not completely useless. You are however an idiot." he added affectionately. "And your mother didn't want you to leave. You know that. She just wanted you to be safe and Ealdor wasn't safe for you."

"Then why didn't she come too?" Merlin asked, his blue eyes turning big and round. "Why leave me here by myself with a man who I've only ever gotten letters from? I love Gaius but up until I came to Camelot, he was a stranger. If she loves me, why isn't she here?"

Arthur didn't know. These emotional things were more Morgana's area of expertise. She was the one who liked to talk about feelings. In the end he thought of his mother, which led him to think of his father and his rage against magic. While Arthur knew magic was evil and bad, he sometimes couldn't help but feel confused about his father's actions sometimes. Especially when he saw young children being hurt because of them.

"People... People do very strange things for love. Very strange." Arthur could tell his words didn't convince Merlin so changed the topic. "Just so you know Merlin, those boys were wrong. It doesn't matter if you earn your wage serving. It's more honourable than anything they'll do." Arthur grinned when Merlin's face lit up and was happy that he was happy. It made Arthur fearful of how much his happiness relied on Merlin now. "Go to sleep. You need to rest."

Merlin nodded and closed his eyes for a minute before they bolted open and he sat up. "Oh no! I forgot to take your dinner back." he scrambled to get out of bed but Arthur pushed him back down.

"Forget about it, Merlin. Tomorrow." Though Arthur had no intention to let Merlin work the next day. Or for a week. _Maybe for my sanity, it's better that way…_

* * *

When Merlin finally healed enough for him to return to his normal duties, Gaius approached Arthur and Leon as they were training. Elyan was close by and looked up, warily. "May I speak with you boys, for a moment. I normally wouldn't ask, however since losing my apprentice, I now only have Merlin to help me and I'm running out of options."

Elyan pointed to himself too and Gaius nodded, beckoning them forward. The all approached to hear the tired physician speak. "I have been sending Merlin out to collect herbs but he keeps coming back, claiming he can't find the ones I need. Yesterday, I followed him and he's simply been sitting with Morgana in an alcove until he comes back, claiming he found nothing. I think he's scared of going by those boys again."

Arthur's stomach tightened with anger as Elyan said, "What if I went with him next time? I surely can scare them off."

"They are nobles and lords sons and the oldest is fourteen. You would be killed for challenging them." Arthur said quickly. "No, I shall go. I can tell them to clear off." Before Leon or Elyan could object Arthur asked, "Where is he, Gaius?"

"I suspect with Morgana. I told him to go find me some rosemary and he went off. They hide in the east side of the castle." Arthur smiled ruefully, knowing where they had gone. Morgana and he used to hide there all the time as children when Golorios was living and once or twice after.

Leaving training and claiming he had princely duties to see to, Arthur went back into the castle and up to where he found Merlin, Morgana and Gwen hunched together in the alcove, whispering and laughing, food they had smuggled from the kitchens spread out between them.

Arthur felt a pang of jealousy that they were together and he was off being a prince but then remembered why he was there and crept up behind them. "Well, I didn't know you were the tea party kind, Merlin, but surely you could have found a better venue for it."

Morgana looked up at Arthur and growled angrily in only a way she could as Merlin tried to clamber to his feet. "Go away, Arthur. Can't you see we're busy?"

"I'm here for Merlin. Heard he was supposed to be collecting herbs for Gaius and fancied joining him."

"You want to collect herbs?" Morgana laughed. "Oh my, that's rich. Who are you and what have you done with Arthur?"

"Shut up, Morgana." Arthur said, rolling his eyes. He then looked to Merlin. "Now hurry up. We haven't got all day."

Merlin swallowed, his throat visibly gulping his fear down. "I... um.. Ok." He scurried alongside Arthur.

Morgana's eyes went as wide as saucers. "Are you being serious? Well then, this I have to see."

Arthur glared at her, a little annoyed. "Morgana, no."

"If you think for one second you can stop me Arthur Pendragon, you are sorely mistaken. Come on Gwen."

Guinevere hesitated. "Should we really be doing this, m'lady?"

"Of course. Just because we are women, does not mean we don't need fresh air too." Even as Morgana spoke she glared at Arthur, daring him to refuse, but he just sighed and agreed. Even though the pint-sized 'woman' was hardly taller than Merlin anymore, who seemed to be going through a rapid growth spurt, she was still demanding.

Merlin was just turning whiter and whiter as their conversation continued and now that they were moving to the Darkling Forest, he looked as though he would faint. Arthur kept a steady hand on Merlin's shoulder and pushed him onwards up until the point Merlin's heels started dragging along the dirt to stop and the only way Arthur could get him to move was by throwing him over his shoulder and walking. "Why have we stopped?" Morgana asked.

Before he could reply, Arthur heard laughter and splashing in the nearby lake. "Is that them, Merlin?" Arthur asked quietly. Merlin squeezed his eyes together and nodded his head.

"Is that what this is all about? Those boys who gave you that black eye? Is that why you've been staying with me and Gwen?" Morgana asked in a rush but Arthur silenced her with a pointed look then pushed Merlin onward towards the laughs, Morgana and Gwen creeping up behind.

Merlin felt horribly exposed being forced to lead the way but Arthur had a hand on either of his shoulders and he was strong. Strong enough to shove Merlin through, right to the edge of the lake where the six offspring of various court officials, nobles and Knights were playing.

With another pang of jealousy, Arthur knew why Merlin had wished to join them. They boys appeared to be having fun. Like Arthur though, Merlin couldn't afford having fun when responsibilities and duty came first.

Arthur's duty to Camelot and Merlin's duty to keeping food on the table.

In a way, he saw these boys as lucky. Rich enough to afford a childhood but not enough so that they could enjoy it, free of consequence. The envious monster in him swelled up again and a jealous Arthur had never been a kind Arthur.

"Hey!" he shouted out. The boys looked up and saw Merlin standing on the edge of the bank, shivering where he stood. Matching grins of malice spread across their faces until they all froze at the sight of the prince. Then their face dropped into matching ones of fear and dread.

"Run!" one of them called out but, Arthur, Morgana and Gwen - much to everyone's surprise - rushed up to the edge of the water and blocked their way, pushing the boys back into the bank as they get near them. One of the boys went to run passed Merlin but he reached out and knocked him back into the water with a heavy splash.

Arthur grinned then drew himself up to full height and pulled Merlin and Morgana underneath his arms. Merlin warily watched them all and Morgana stuck her tongue out at the boys, reaching out for Gwen's hand to hold her close too. "I heard you lot were picking on my friend." Arthur said arrogantly. They all looked up fearfully and one of them started shaking his head. "If you ever lay a hand on Merlin again, I'll send you to the dungeons to... To... To be beheaded. And then burnt. Then quartered and hung up in my bedroom for decoration. Merlin himself will make the arrangements. Do you understand me?"

The boys, all on their hands and knees and buts in the water nodded pathetically and Arthur grinned. "Nice to know we have an understanding. If I ever see any of you here again, I'll make your knight training a living hell. Now. Off with all of you. Go!"

The boys scattered up and ran straight back to the palace, all soaking wet and probably about to be yelled at by their mothers. Once they were over the hill, Morgana pulled away from Gwen and whooped, taking both of Gwen's hands and dancing in a circle, singing a victory war song. Both girls were laughing and skipping with joy.

Arthur looked down to Merlin was staring at where they had been, a little stunned with his mouth open to catch flies. "Merlin, stop being such a girl. I got rid of them. You can stop crying now."

Merlin pulled his head away from whatever his daze had stared at and looked around hesitatingly. He saw that not one of the boys was around and a grin spread across his face. "You called me your friend."

Arthur burned red with embarrassment. "No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"Why would I say something ridiculous like that?" he asked.

Merlin didn't answer, but he did smile softly and said, "Thanks."

"We helped too!" Morgana pouted.

Merlin grinned and let go of Arthur and went and tackled Gwen and Morgana in a large hug. Morgana took on of his hands and Gwen the other and the girls resumed their dancing, Merlin grinning and going along for the ride but having no idea how they were dancing or what they were singing. Morgana took Arthur's hand and tried forcing him to join but he stood there stubbornly, shaking his head.

Merlin was the one who stopped them by saying, "I really need to collect some herbs for Gaius. He's run out of almost everything." So the rest of the afternoon was spent with the four of them foraging for various ingredients and singing odes to battle, Arthur joining in on the one about the dragon but only humming the rest. He was sometimes still a child.

* * *

**A/N:** 'What about Arthur's bruise?' you ask... Wait for it... :)


	14. Learning How to Fight

**A/N: **Wow... So many of you think Uther is the cause of the bruise... I almost changed this chapter just for them but this is the last of the truly humorous chapters... The rest are going back to dramatic. So yeah. **LittleMissUnPerfect**, lol... It's something I say to my brother all the time... Thanks for your review and I'll keep writing if you keep reading! **bubzchoc**, thanks XD **Distressed Clover**, if a prince was glaring at me and shouting, I don't think I'd personally be listening to his words... And plus, that was the 'child' part of the chapter... hehehe... **gorgeousangel, **I like the four of them together... makes me happy... just a bit. **IndiaMoore,** Updated! And you too with the Uther thing? LoL...

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but the errors (which I fixed the ones I found after I posted in the last chapter... A few of the words disappeared because for some reason, there was no space between the words and the full stop... Oh and there's one where it should say 'one' but just says 'on'... I fixed that but it didn't upload... Or it just hasn't showed up on FF yet that I fixed it... Either way, it's still there... and I own it.)

* * *

**Learning How to Fight**

It had been a week since the incident by the lake and Arthur was more than certain that Merlin needed to be trained to fight. Maybe not trained to the level of a knight, but at least to that of a semi-descent squire. Or one that didn't trip over his own feet…

Merlin himself had announced his birthday was fast approaching, and that he would be thirteen, a fact he chose to gloat to Morgana who had turned into a bigger brat since her thirteenth birthday, and it was around that age most nobles started their quest as squires to become knights.

He would be training his own batch of first year squires soon and he thought to himself, quite smugly, there was no better way to start training himself than to start training Merlin.

The first few lessons included no one but Merlin, a blunt sword, a helmet, a shield and of course Arthur.

When the prince had first dragged Merlin to the large field just behind the castle outside the palace walls, Merlin had made a face. "Are you bringing me here to kill me?" he asked, still unsure of what they were doing. Arthur had of course told him they were training but never told Merlin that Arthur was training him on fear the boy would back out.

"No Merlin." Arthur sighed then took the shield from him and shoved the helmet down on Merlin's head, receiving a cry of indignation as it pulled down his ears. "You are going to learn how to use a sword."

"What?" Merlin squawked, pushing the helmets visor up until two bright blue eyes shone through. "No I'm not."

"Yes. Yes you are."

"I don't think you understand. Will has tried this before. It didn't end well."

"I'm not Will."

"Arthur, I don't need a sword." Merlin insisted, clambering his fingers around the edge of the helmet but not quite pulling it off. "Trust me. I'm clumsy enough. Hand me a sword and people will start losing limbs. It happened."

"That's the – You chopped someone's limb off?"

Merlin blushed. "Technically, it was a finger and Nathaniel's hand had come out of no where…" _Maybe that's why the Old Man disliked you,_ Arthur thought but didn't speak it aloud.

"Well then. I guess that will be the point of our lessons." Arthur said, slapping Merlin's fingers away and readjusting the helmet on his head so it wasn't creeping up his neck. "You are more than capable of cutting someone's limb off. I'm just going to teach you how to do that on purpose."

"But _why_?" he moaned.

Arthur slammed down the front of his visor and grinned. "Because I said so, that's why."

If Arthur thought that Merlin was a hopeless manservant, he was fast on believing he was a hopeless fighter. He could barely lift the sword properly and swung it around wildly without any care or thought. When he did manage to get a blow in, his feet would betray him and somehow Merlin would end up just hurting himself.

Arthur prided himself on bringing the helmet, especially when the sword was swung around and somehow Merlin managed to clobber himself around the head. "I think that's enough for today." Arthur said, quickly taking the sword from Merlin before he could accidentally kill himself or take one of his fingers. Gently Merlin pried the helmet off his head and looked up at Arthur in utter defeat, his bright blue eyes begging him to stop the heedless torture.

It seemed Merlin's pout had finally found the line it couldn't cross. Arthur.

So each afternoon when he was free, he took Merlin to the clearing and tried to teach him how to fight, but all the younger grasped was how to hold the shield and that these training sessions were quickly becoming the bane of his existence. Arthur's too.

Determined not to give up, Arthur asked Leon to join them (help him).

"Arthur!" Merlin cried indignantly when they arrived to their usual spot and Leon and Elyan were both there. "It's bad enough you're forcing me to do this, but an audience? How much do you wish to humiliate me?"

"I am attempting to train the untrainable, Merlin. I asked Leon for help. I didn't invite Elyan."

Leon raised his hand. "I did. He was curious as to what I was doing so I told him he could come along. Elyan is an excellent fighter and often trains with the knights and myself. That is of course between preparing our swords."

Merlin groaned and Arthur couldn't help but chuckle. He did improve. Arthur definitely saw an improvement. But he couldn't really count the fact that Merlin had successfully hurt himself _less_ as an improvement for his fighting skills. In fact, Arthur believed they somehow got worse.

A few days later, Morgana seemed to be suspicious of where Merlin and Arthur disappeared to every afternoon so followed them out with Gwen. "Them too!" Merlin cried, outraged she the girls showed up to their training - or as Merlin liked to call it, his daily beating.

Arthur frowned at Morgana and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I got bored of being in the castle by myself and followed."

"You shouldn't have. This is men's business."

"Swordplay? I can beat you with a sword, Arthur." Morgana challenged.

He rolled his eyes. "No. You can't Morgana."

She drew her shoulders back and took Merlin's sword from him. "I challenge you to a duel."

Arthur scoffed and Leon and Elyan both snorted. "Morgana..." Arthur started but Morgana lunged at him and he was forced to defend. Merlin backed away, staggering into Gwen who clutched his hand in fright. He looked down at their interlocked hands then up at Gwen but she paid no attention as she watched the ward and son of Uther spar.

Arthur had no chance to deter Morgana from fighting, as the two were a flurry of sword. Arthur was no doubt stronger than Morgana but she was far quicker and had more tact. She backed him up against the wall of Camelot, leaving Arthur to wonder how she had gotten so skilful and then lunged and stabbed the stone right next to his head. "Give up?" Morgana asked.

Not wanting to be defeated by a girl, Arthur swung his sword around and Morgana only just defended herself. He forced her back, away from the wall and the incline behind her was enough that with one false step, Morgana fell over and on her back.

She landed with a thud and looked up at Arthur with glistening eyes. "Do you give up?" he panted and the girl stayed down, her head slightly titled to her shoulder. Arthur was about to laugh when he heard Morgana whimper. He looked at her properly and saw her hair fanned out underneath her and tears threatening to spill. "Oh no... Please don't cry... Morgana?" He slammed down his sword and peered at her, wondering what to do next.

Thinking of what Gaius would do, Arthur kneeled down to help her up and was winded by Morgana throwing herself on his chest, twisting him over and pinning his hand down with her knees. She pressed her sword underneath his neck just as Arthur realised she was not hugging him but attacking him and his sword was discarded a ways away. "I win." she said, grinning.

Arthur looked around and saw Elyan and Leon applauding Morgana and Gwen just pulling her timid head from out of Merlin's neck as he laughed. "You cheated!" Arthur accused.

Morgana huffed, getting off him. "Did not."

"Did too! You cried. I thought you were hurt!"

"I used my feminine nature as an advantage over your strength. That's not cheating. It's like telling you to stop using your muscles." Morgana flounced away from Arthur and to Gwen. Gwen threw her arms around Morgana and hugged her tight. "I'm fine Gwen." she hushed her.

"Still. Cheating. If I'd seen a man cry, I wouldn't have been so concerned."

Morgana glared at him. "And if you'd seen Merlin cry?"

"That's different too. Merlin's practically a girl with the way he fights."

Merlin frowned. "Thank you for those words of encouragement."

"It's true." Elyan said. "You're not much in the sword department."

Arthur saw the hurt cut across Merlin's face, as did Leon. The latter spoke up. "I actually think we just haven't found yet what Merlin is good at." Everyone turned and looked at him puzzled. "Well I am much better with a crossbow than I am with a sword and absolutely no good with a mace. The things would be the death of me. But... Merlin might be."

Arthur smacked his head. "That's right Leon. Just give him a deadlier weapon to knock himself out with."

"No, no I get where Leon is coming from. Milady, if I could just borrow Gwen." Elyan bowed at the future Lady of court, knowing her shot temperament, and she nodded to dismiss Gwen.

The brother and sister ran off and returned fifteen minutes later with an array of weaponry they took from their fathers work shop. "Will this do?" Gwen asked, eagerly handing Merlin the mace.

Five minutes later there was a chance Merlin had broken his toes and Arthur was rifling through the weapons for something else.

Long swords were worse than normal sword and his footwork was atrocious. They tried an axe, a spear, and even a wooden baton like thing with spikes on it that lasted two minutes in Merlin's hand before Arthur deemed it too dangerous and knocked the thing aside.

"This is hopeless." Arthur deemed. "Not a weapon has been invented yet for you Merlin."

Merlin looked annoyed and hurt and turned his back on all of them before storming towards the forest, muttering angrily under his breath. "Can't do anything? Huh... Sure I can't. Because I'm _such a girl_... I'll bloody show them…" but the rest sounded like the ramblings of a mad man.

"Now look what you've done." Morgana hissed. "Arthur, you've hurt his feelings!"

Arthur was honestly too annoyed to care but his heart softened and panicked as Merlin looked as though he was going into darkling forest alone. "Merlin, come back here!" he shouted, unsure of what how many things laid in the forest that could potentially kill his clumsy manservant.

Merlin didn't reply but his muttering seemed to increase as he reached a tree and pulled out his dragon dagger, carving a giant 'X' on it.

He put his back to the tree and walked twenty paces up from the tree, still muttering and shaking his head on the occasion, tutting his tongue. "I'll show them." Arthur caught some of Merlin's mutters, but they left him more confused.

"What is he doing?" Arthur asked.

Merlin was a little ways ahead of them and watched as Merlin lined up a shot with his dagger and threw it as hard as he could. They all watched as it flew across the clearing and embedded itself straight in the middle of the X.

"No weapon has been invented." Merlin scoffed, just loud enough for them to hear but more to himself. He started heading back down to the tree, but Arthur collected a crossbow and a few daggers and grabbed him by the shoulder. "Do it again." he ordered.

Merlin frowned but then threw his chin up arrogantly. "Only if you collect my daggers and arrows."

Arthur laughed. "Only if you get your target, every time."

Merlin smirked, taking a dagger from Arthur. "The top right corner of the cross." he said. Arthur watched as Merlin lobbed the dagger and it hit just where he said it would. He turned his body a little, picking up another dagger. "Bottom corner of the cross." Again, the dagger hit its target. "Care for me to continue?"

Arthur passed Merlin the crossbow. "Now try with this."

Merlin had deadly accuracy when it came to long range it seemed and could easily use the light daggers. He accredited it to long hours of him and Will knocking over tin cups with rocks on the farm fences. When they got older, they started playing with knives, and both were quite good at throwing daggers.

His bow work was slightly off target, Merlin not used to the kick back of the heavy weapon but after his fifth skewed target, he adjusted himself accordingly and managed to hit the rest just fine.

As Merlin and Arthur cleared up, the others went back home, congratulation Merlin on finding his calling. When everyone had their backs turned, busy with something else, Morgana squeezed Merlin's hand and kissed his cheek, sending the boy into a daze. He wore a stupid grin on his face until Arthur smacked him over the head.

"What are you smirking about?"

"Nothing." the younger boy replied quickly.

Arthur made Merlin collect all his own daggers and arrows but did wait for him at the top of the hill. Merlin handed all of the blacksmith's equipment to Arthur as he put his dragon dagger back into its sheath and pocketed it. "Where did you get that?" Arthur asked curiously as they started to walk back up to the castle.

Merlin looked at the dagger then back up at Arthur. He shrugged and said, "It was my fathers."

Arthur frowned. "Was he a noble?"

Merlin shrugged. "Dunno. I 'spose with a dagger like this, he could have been. I never really thought of it."

"Your mother said he was from Camelot."

Merlin froze at what he said and turned to face Arthur. "My... My mother spoke of him? To you?"

Arthur realised he had said the wrong thing and shrugged. "Just to say he was of Camelot. To give me reason to bring you. That was all." he lied.

Merlin looked down at the dagger. "She... She never told me he was from here. She's never told me anything of him. Only that he was a good man and would have stayed if he could."

Arthur pushed him along. "I'm sure she is right."

Merlin frowned. "What kind of man leaves his wife and child and never returns?" They entered the city and Merlin looked around with wide eyes as if seeing it for the first time. "Maybe he returned. Maybe he hated me and came back here for a new family."

"Maybe your mother lied to me and he's not from Camelot."

Merlin dismissed this. "My mother doesn't lie. Ever. She's always told me the truth or said nothing at all. She would say, 'lying only breeds liars.' then proceed to tell me truths I didn't wish to know." He winced at the thought and Arthur believe Merlin was thinking of some horrible truth his mother had told him, while Merlin was questioning his own lies to his friends.

By the sounds of it, Arthur knew more about Merlin's father than even Merlin did. _She is most likely protecting him from the truth that his father was some sort of fugitive. And if he had such a fine weapon, he was most likely a noble of some sort..._

"Arthur? Are you even listening?" They were back in Arthur's bedroom and he had found himself wandering his own mind in thought. Merlin was apparently talking to him. "Arthur?" he shouted, waving his hand in front the prince.

Arthur swatted his hand away and glared. "Really Merlin, I don't need to pay any attention to you and your babble. Anyway, the answer is no." He started to get on with taking his armour off.

Merlin frowned, "So you won't be wanting your dinner then."

Arthur frowned right back. "Of course I want my dinner."

"But you just said..." Merlin scratched his head. "You're really confusing sometimes, Arthur."

"Keeps you on your toes." he said, punching Merlin's arm.

Merlin winced and punched Arthur back but then waved his arm about. "Ouch!" he said, jumping about. "That hurt!"

Arthur laughed, tilting his head back. "You punch like a girl, Merlin."

"And you fight like one seeing as Morgana beat you today."

Arthur snorted. "Morgana didn't... I mean... She cheated!"

"Keep telling yourself that. Anyway, I've never punched anyone but that boy at the lake before... Never had a need to."

Arthur frowned. "Didn't you say you got into fights in Ealdor?"

Keeping an absolutely stoic and calm face, Merlin replied, "I had other ways of dealing with them."

Arthur shook the cryptic Merlin from his mind before he clotted it up with cobwebs of confusion and said, "Well then. No wonder you can't use a sword. You can't even throw a punch."

Merlin groaned but before he could argue Arthur had thrown down the equipment he carried onto his bed and made Merlin do the same not even listening to his protests as Merlin cried out he would have to clean the sheets.

He turned Merlin around into a fighting stance, deliberately ignoring the annoyed expression on his face. "Now. Pull your hands up into fists." Merlin squished his fingers together in a fist and held them up in guard in front of him, with his wrists bent and his thumbs wrapped over his forefingers. "Pathetic." he muttered.

He tightened Merlin's fists so that his wrist was aligned with his forearm and his thumb was wrapped over his three fingers and not his pinky. "Now hold that tight." Arthur instructed. Merlin did so and Arthur lifted up his own arms. "Watch me and copy." In slow motion, he showed Merlin how to punch and a proper follow through.

He watched as Merlin repeated the action the straightened up his arms and showed him how to properly bend his elbows without jarring them. "That's good, Merlin. Now here is the fun part."

Arthur grabbed one of his pillows and held it out in front of him. "Merlin, meet punching bag. Punching bag, Merlin."

"It's a pillow."

"Punching bag." Arthur corrected the sceptical sounding Merlin.

"Pillow." he deadpanned.

Arthur gasped. "Oh my. You are right! This is a pillow, Merlin. Your perceptiveness astounds me!" He hit Merlin over the head with said pillow then stood up straight again. "Now punch the ruddy thing."

After sighing, Merlin started to attack the pillow, punching it properly. He wasn't as weak as Arthur had always thought and managed to get some descent blows in before Arthur went to call it quits.

He pulled the pillow down to speak to Merlin, but his young manservant didn't seem to notice and threw another punch...

That got Arthur in the eye.

Merlin gasped, pulling back the rushed forward to apologise. "Arthur, I am so... Oh no. Let's take you to Gaius."

* * *

_It's almost over, it's almost over..._ It was the mantra he kept repeating to get himself through the most humiliating dinner of his life. It occured to him briefly that since meeting Merlin, he'd taken up mantras as a successful way of calming his nerves. Just another thing he could blame the boy for. Said raven haired manservant stood by, holding the jug filled with wine for the king and kept looking nervously at Arthur.

He tried not to think of Morgana's smirking face across the dinner table but on the fact that he was keeping his right eye as far out of Uther's sight as he possibly could.

Because Merlin had in fact learnt how to punch. In fact, he was quite good at it. Or at least good enough to give Arthur a black eye.

He had been hiding it from his father and they would soon be dismissed from dinner, or so Arthur hoped. His father was going on about some new legislation Arthur couldn't care less about when he finally had finished his meal and him and Morgana were allowed to leave with Merlin.

He jumped like a rabbit to leave but when he was almost at the door, Uther stopped him. "Oh yes and Arthur... How did you acquire that bruise over your right eye?" he asked calmly.

Merlin froze just beside Arthur and he looked up at him, panicking. Arthur was alarmed too and Merlin had pleading eyes to not throw him under the horse carriage. He shrugged at him, unsure of what to say. It was his honour on the line. "I am waiting, Arthur." Uther said, impatiently and now a nudge from Morgana, who knew the truth, got Arthur to turn around and face his father, his blue and purple eye facing him for the first time.

"I... Woke up like this?" he offered, Arthur never being the most adept at lying on the spot to his father.

"Hmm... Interesting. If I were a fool, I would believe you, but alas I am not." Uther's gaze hardened. "Try again, this time with the truth."

Arthur swallowed. "I umm... Got into an accident whilst training."

Uther's calculated gaze did not shift. "Training? Training with whom?"

Arthur thought about this for a moment.

If he told a lie, Uther would know. He was honing his lying abilities to his father but had not yet perfected them. He rarely got away with things and even he knew this time he wouldn't.

If he told the truth - highlighting the part where he was simply just trying to teach Merlin how to defend himself and it was to help him train young squires - one of two things could happen. Uther could find the whole thing funny and laugh and Arthur could have his pride deflated or Uther could be unreasonable, grow angry, throw Merlin in the stocks or goal or possibly even have him killed.

Arthur thanked every deity known to man it was the former and not the latter, and for months to come Arthur was forced to listen to Uther's recount of how his son was injured by his gangly untrained manservant to all the nobles, wounding his pride. One of the times he caught Merlin smirking and glared at him so fiercely, Merlin never smiled at the story again.

* * *

**A/N: **Now to the Drama! Review, please and thank you.


	15. Court Dragon Master

**A/N: **Helloo...This, according to my word count, is my longest update. 6881 words... Originally, it was much, much longer. Let me explain. This chapter was the third one-shot I wrote when I was in hospital. It was why I wrote this epic saga and turned the first one (the original idea) into a crucial side plot of the saga. (when I upload it, I'll tell you). That is how this whole AU came about. (I thought I was going to be in hospital _a lot_ longer). And just so you know, the second one-shot I wrote that I was going to upload separately is the very last chapter...

So I'm not doing this off the top of my head! A couple of the fluff pieces are to be time filler's, but I won't always do this. Time is moving slowly for now, but I will eventually skip over some years. (Eventually... calm yourselves)

**A Million Mad Musings, **me too! Dunno why... I like darts... I have the real ones, not the magnets. It was what gave me the idea in the first place. **Curly Wurly Me, **here is more. :) **IndiaMoore,** appreciate the approval. Here is the drama! **A fan,** I'm glad. I didn't want to overhaul the funny or the caring... I wanted it to flow. Sincerely, A Heater. :) (I should mention, I do dad jokes). **A maze thing,** NOT ANSWERING! (read end of chapter for more non answers). **jayley, **I think **A maze thing **said that I wrote this at the point where Arthur was turning into the - for lack of a better word - prat he was in the first season. But then he meets Merlin. :)

**Disclaimer: **All grammatical and spelling errors are mine... SO GET OFF MY PROPERTY! (I do have the occasional random nonsensical outburst...)

* * *

**Court Dragon Master**

The sun was barely up but Merlin was waking for the day ahead. He yawned, stretching out his body then saw on top of his book pile were three notes and yet another book, standing up and written in the Old Language.

He took the notes in his hand and read the two longer first, yawning. One was from his mother, apologising for not being able to visit and the other was from Will saying much the same, except in poorly written English. He squinted at the many spelling mistakes, too early in the morning to be deciphered, though he tried to anyway. For Will to pick up a quill was a miracle and Merlin wanted to be gracious.

The final note was from Gaius.

_Despite my warnings, I know you continue to practice your abilities. I do not blame you. Use this wisely, my boy. Happy Birthday. Gaius._

Merlin looked at the spell book with a large grin on his face. He picked it up and glanced through the pages, determined to find a spell for chamber pots before he had to run after Arthur.

* * *

It was as he entered his chambers one morning, finding Merlin sitting on a bucket and studying his dragon dagger, that Arthur remembered the strange parentage the boy had and his own curiosity about it.

The idiot was so fascinated by his blade that he jumped in surprise when Arthur closed the door behind him. "Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed standing up then falling over his own feet and to his face. "Didn't hear you."

"I could have been an assassin you know." Arthur tried to say quite seriously, but they both could hear his mocking tone underneath. "You'd be dead, by now."

"I just finished my chores and was avoiding Gaius." he explained, getting to his feet. "So I thought I'd hide in here. D'you mind?"

Arthur didn't. He could do with the company. He'd just gotten a verbal flogging from his father over his training with the squires. It seemed training Merlin and training the squires was quite different.

Merlin was a peasant who did everything Arthur said, albeit poorly and with argument, but at least he tried. The squires were self-righteous noble children who thought they knew everything about everything. They weren't that much younger than him and all believed they knew better than he did.

When he started complaining to Leon and a few of the other Knights, Sir Herold actually rolled his eyes and Leon snorted back his laughter.

"That must have been difficult." Herold said with a wide grin. "Training someone who thinks they know everything."

"Those brats think they're so perfect when most of them wouldn't know how to hold their swords properly if I hit them across the face with one!"

Herold smirked. "I would have _no idea_ what teaching someone so _obstinate _was like."

"You're lucky for it."

It was much later that Arthur remembered Sir Herold had been his instructor and that maybe he was being sarcastic with him. _But I hadn't been a know-it-all squire, had I?_He balked at the thought of being anything like the boys he trained.

He was not like Lord Peter's son, Nicholas who had the audacity to correct Arthur's footwork. _Arthur's!_ He'd been trained on his footwork from the moment of his birth! He was standing in the correct position to hold a sword before he took his first steps! It wasn't his fault Sir Herold, in his days of squire training didn't respect that...

Worse off, was the fact that a few of the squires had learnt of how his now, mostly faded bruise, had come about. _That_ he could blame Merlin for, but he had already planned just how he was going to get the squires back for their disobedience and needed Merlin to help him collect all the honey and pillows. So for now, the boy would stay in his good books.

He waved his hand about in front of his face to physically discard the thoughts and re-join the present. "Sure, why not. Why are you hiding from Gaius anyway?"

Merlin flushed at this then mumbled something completely unintelligible. Arthur was trying to find something on his desk at the time and looked up, frowning. "What did I tell you about opening your mouth when you talk?"

"Dunno but I guess I ignored it just like you ignored me telling you to stop being a prat."

Arthur threw a scrunched up parchment at him, nothing heavier in range. He'd given up telling Merlin what he couldn't do and just went with physical assault. "Come on. Why are you hiding from Gaius? Can't be that bad? I'll tell you why I'm hiding from my father." He turned back to his desk and continued trifling through.

Merlin sighed deeply then sat across from Arthur, not even bothering to ask for permission. Arthur rolled his eyes but said nothing about his constant insolence. Really, Arthur should get him a 'World's Worst Servant' medallion. "Well today is... Well it's my birthday."

Arthur looked up in surprise and Merlin had a large innocent, 'please don't hurt me' smile on his face. He knew it was approaching but he'd forgotten when. "So... You're what? Ten now?" he antagonised.

"Thir_teen_."

Arthur snorted. "Anyone ever tell you, you're tiny?"

"I'll have you know I've grown since coming here. My pants are getting too short and I'm Morgana's height." he pointed to the cuffs that were at least two inches too short. Arthur didn't need Merlin to tell him. He'd noticed. He just tried not to let Merlin know that.

"Anyway... My mother and Will were supposed to come but can't make it because they need extra assistance for ploughing the fields and Gaius is being overbearing about it all. And honestly, I'm _fine_. Gwen and I are sneaking Morgana out to a party in the lower town tonight and that's how I will spend my birthday."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Arthur muttered, scrounging around his desk. The he paused and totally forgot what he was looking for, more obsessed with what Merlin had just said. "Wait... Why wasn't I invited?"

Merlin shrugged. "Morgana organised it. You can come if you'd like. It is my birthday after all. We're meeting at the well in the lower town with Leon and Elyan."

Arthur bristled at hearing Leon too was invited. "Do you... Do you do this often? Go to the lower town without me?"

Merlin grinned. "Are you jealous Arthur? Feeling left out?"

Arthur burned red. "What? No!"

"Not even a little bit?"

"No!" he snapped indignantly. "Prince's don't feel _jealousy_." He looked away from Merlin so he couldn't see the obtuse lie flashing in his eyes. He had been feeling jealous. A lot of late whenever he saw Merlin having fun with Morgana and Gwen whilst he was busy doing his duties. He wasn't ever going to admit it, but he had never had anyone his age to be his childhood friend and the fact Morgana now had _two_ was grating on his nerves, just a little.

Merlin chose to drop his teasing. "If you must know, I _never_ organise it. Gwen and Morgana usually drag me from bed at ridiculous hours because someone in the lower town is always getting married or having a child or doing something that warrants celebration. Gwen spread around it is my birthday and somehow a party was prepared. Mary the cook likes me because she bet I'd be rehired by you, which I was. Sort of." Merlin shrugged. "I honestly think they all just like their drink."

Arthur was partial to agree but he was still a little angry about only just being invited to these nightly rendezvous. "I'll come." he said. "Not because it particularly interests me that it's your birthday but just because someone has to look after Morgana."

Merlin chuckled. "Leon always does a fine job of it." Arthur chose to ignore that statement and pretended to be interested in his papers. "So what happened with you and your father?"

Arthur explained about the squires and how he had failed to appropriately train them thus far and then his complaints on their arrogance and stuck up attitudes. "Couldn't imagine what that was like. Having someone around who always thinks they're right." Merlin said airily, reminiscent of Sir Herold's words.

"Merlin?"

"Shut up?"

"Yep."

"And now you're just getting predictable."

Not wanting to talk of it much more, Arthur changed the subject again. "Why were you staring at your dagger when I came in here?"

It was Merlin's turn to burn bright red and he nervously tugged the finely crafted blade from his pocket. "I was... I was thinking about my father."

Arthur remembered what Hunith had told Arthur of the man. He scrunched his face up trying to remember his name. It was a strange name too. _Hallen? Pallena? Pallenare? Pellinore... Balinor!_ A little surprised with his own memory, Arthur blinked back at Merlin. "Do you know at all what happened to him?"

"Only what my mother tells me. He was a kind man who couldn't be with us as he had another duty." Merlin winced. "I often thought that meant another family. Or that he wasn't very kind at all. But I like to think that he was kind and maybe he just had some greater purpose than hanging around to be my father."

"I thought you said your mother never lied." Arthur pointed out.

"I'm starting to question the foundations of her belief system." he murmured, concentrating on the blade and not Arthur. Merlin spun the dagger in his hand, one of the few things Arthur had found he was truly good at. "I like to think that one day I would have inherited my own dagger like this for my birthday. That my father would have given it to me in a great show after training me himself. Maybe even with a sword."

"Don't be ridiculous. You can't use a sword."

"I've gotten better." Merlin objected. Arthur didn't want to agree, but at least he was now hitting a target and not himself. "Anyway, I would have been great if my father had taught me." he said, fingering the edge of the age-blunted blade.

The Prince wondered to what extent Merlin knew the story of his father, which Hunith had told him.

An idea struck him so suddenly that Arthur actually stumbled.

If this Balinor man had been a fugitive of Camelot he would have had a record. Maybe he didn't have to tell Merlin about his father's criminal past, but he could at least tell him who he was. It was his birthday after all and Arthur felt a little guilty at forgetting it, even though he had told him.

He grinned and Merlin shot him a funny look. "I need to go."

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"Need to find something. You can stay here." Arthur said, taking off to the one place he'd never thought he'd go. The Library.

* * *

"Please, Geoffery!" Arthur begged. Honestly, no one in the entirety of Camelot had seen Arthur beg except for the old librarian, who often had Arthur and Morgana begging for less tutelage.

Now Arthur was using his childhood pout and face of innocence to try and gain access into sealed records. "I know it was time during the Great Purge, but this particular person has nothing to do with the Great Purge. In fact, it's just an arrest warrant that occurred about, oh, I don't know a year and a half after the Great Purge?" he estimated.

"People were still being tried and convicted, even then Prince Arthur." Geoffrey shook his head. "Those records are sealed... Even to you."

Arthur groaned and slammed his head on the desk. He should have known. Even as a child, Geoffrey never gave into the pout face. Geoffrey was possibly the smartest person Arthur knew when it came to history, even outdoing Gaius when it came to his memory. He then sat up as an idea struck him. "The records are sealed, but you still know them like the back of your hand, yes?"

"Sire, I cannot."

"Please Geoffrey. I just need to know who this person is." Arthur pleaded again. This time he used a technique he'd learnt from Merlin. He forced his eyes to look as innocent and childlike as possible, blinking a few times like he was shying away tears.

The old man stared at Arthur then groaned and relented. "Fine, fine. Who is this person you are looking for?"

_Yes! That would have been amazing to know three years ago…_

"Don't know much about him but I do know he was a fugitive around fourteen years ago. His name was Balinor."

Geoffrey seemed to pale and dropped the book he had been holding onto the desk. Arthur grimaced at the pasty expression of the already pale librarian who quickly swiped at his goblet and took a hasty drink. "You should be off now."

"But -"

"Arthur." Geoffrey snapped and that brought him to attention. Geoffrey had never ceased to use formal titles with him as Gaius had. It was always 'Prince Arthur' or 'Sire'. He winced at the man's tone. "Listen to me and listen carefully. If I am right, this is about your manservant, Merlin?"

Arthur nodded guiltily then asked, "How did you -"

"It does not matter. I merely assumed and we will never again speak of your confirmation. Now I care for Gaius greatly. He has been my friend since the time of your grandfather and he greatly cares for Merlin's well being. If you do too, you will never mention Balinor and Merlin in the same sentence unless it is to say they have no similarities."

"But -"

"Your father would kill him for relation alone." Geoffrey cut him off. "From what I hear, Sir Arnold already suspects and only the boy's mother's word and Uther's choosing to momentarily be blind to the clear similarities between father and son are keeping him alive... And barely at that. Many haven't forgotten Balinor and only a few of the rest suspect Merlin's parentage, but you'd do well to notice only Sir Arnold is speaking out."

"But... Why? I only know of his father's name because of his mother's carelessness when she told me to care for him. Who is this man that my father would make his son pay for his crimes?"

"Some..." Geoffrey sighed. "Some would say there were not crimes at all, Arthur. Many would feel their lives indebted to Balinor. A fair few – a fair unspoken few, feel his banishment was a betrayal." Geoffrey opened his mouth to speak then shut it again. He bit his lip and went into his vast collection of books. "I have kept every last book detailing all those who have ever been apart of this Court, Arthur. From times of old, when many titles existed that your father has now banned. He never told me to hide these records." He handed the parchments to Arthur. "There is only one person in the entirety of Camelot who can tell you the true story of what happened without bias and with only a tale of duty but he is dead. You may wish to try his son however who was barely young enough to understand but just may have done so."

"Who?" Arthur asked.

Geoffrey smiled sadly. "Sir Leon."

* * *

It took some of the afternoon to find the right date but he found himself reading the Court names from the time before his birth. He paced his chambers with the book. Merlin had disappeared, much to the prince's glee and he was alone in his room, reading the book and unable to keep still.

There were names he knew such as King Uther Pendragon and Queen Ygraine Pendragon. His Uncle, Sir Tristan de Bois was the Overseer of the Knights, Court Genealogist and Caretaker to Court Library, Sir Geoffrey of Monmouth, Court Physician Gaius and the current crazy Master of House - a fancy title for the head servant - Terrin Dwyer was still the Master of House even back then.

But there were some unfamiliar names and titles. He paused over one. Court Sorcereress, Nimueh. He frowned unable to believe his father had a sorcerer in his Court. He quickened his finger down the page then paused at yet another title he had never heard of in his life.

_Court Dragon Master_.

He paused and stared and the followed the name over to read it.

_Lord Balinor Ambrosius, Dragonlord, Council Member._

He frowned and scratched his head. In all his years, Arthur had never heard of a Dragonlord, or of the Ambrosius line, though it sounded vaguely familiar. He looked up to the few books he carried in his own room and collected them and started to date back the Pendragon name.

He blinked in surprise. It seemed Amelia Ambrosius married Elias Pendragon, his great-great-grandfather and bore three children. They were before the times the Pendragon's ruled the kingdom, neither king or queen of anything but it seemed Amelia's brother owned a large lot of Camelot. From there, Arthur knew the legend. Elias and Amelia's middle son, Budicus Pendragon rose up and, with his cousin, Leander Ambrosius, became the King of Camelot.

He peered at the dates then flicked to the corresponding pages that dated back Amelia's lineage. He sat down on his bed and read down the page until he found Amelia Ambrosius once more and followed her brother's descendants down to Sayard Ambrosius who was last living in his grandfather's Court.

Sayard had married but no children were listed but, if he was right in assuming Balinor was his father's age and eradicated from the histories that would make Balinor a noble. Merlin, born out of wedlock would not be able to claim land however but could be officially inducted into Knighthood under his father's name. _Merlin was a noble through his father…_

_But what did he do to get banished?_ Arthur let his finger slide over pages again, in hopes that maybe the court records held the answer but nothing was there. There was no mention of Balinor Ambrosius in all the documents and the only thing that confirmed that it was his true name, was that Sayard's wife, Reneta had a father also named Balinor.

_Maybe Geoffrey was right. Maybe Leon would know. _He looked at the sky that was slowly burning brighter as it made its descent into the horizon, signalling the late afternoon. With a grunt he decided to head down to find Leon, hoping the older knight had the answer.

* * *

"What?" Leon asked, a little confused. Him and Elyan were training on the grass, even though it was early evening. Leon liked training and seemed to let out a lot of his anger that he never let come out and could be surprisingly vicious. The two of them had swords drawn and Elyan, a ruthless fighter if Arthur had ever seen one, was trying to help Leon with his defence.

"I asked if you knew who Lord Balinor was."

Leon frowned and then shook his head. "No." Elyan launched a new attack and Leon was quick to defend then knocked him back.

"Yeah you do." Elyan said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Even I do. I used to hear your father speak of him and the searches when I was younger. He told us stories about him sometimes."

"Who?" Leon asked between the clashing of swords.

"I think you'd know him better as Lord... Oh damn it... Started with an 'a'... Lord Ambrosia?"

"Wh- Oh. _Ambrosius_." Leon briefly glanced at Arthur then at the sword rushing his way, quick to defend it. "What d'you want to know about him for?"

"Curiousity. I heard his name. You were, what? Five when he was a fugitive." Arthur tried to sound like it wasn't important and casual, hoping neither heard the curiosity in his voice.

Leon nodded. "Yes. My father and Sir Goloris were in charge of his capture."

"Why was he given a bounty?"

"Well, he was a sorcerer. Practiced magic."

Arthur's stomach turned icy. "What?"

"Yeah, and not just any magic. Dragon magic. You see, before the time of the Great Purge, Dragons flew the skies of Albion and were a constant threat. But Lord Ambrosius was a... Damn... His officially title was Master of Dragons but the magic folk called him... Dragonlord! That was it. Anyway, he could tame dragons and made sure they never attacked. I actually remember one – a green one I think – had come to attack Camelot for food and Lord Ambrosius, well it must have been him but I was three at time – he jumped in front of the Dragon and shouted something. Then it bowed and turned around, leaving the city in peace."

Arthur leant back on the fence around the training grounds. "Then why was he called to arrest? Isn't stopping dragon attacks a good thing?"

"It's more complicated than that. Dragonlords had other magic too. They studied magic, willingly. There were other Dragonlords. But Uther had them all killed... Except Ambrosius."

"Why?"

Leon called off Elyan and relaxed. "Arthur, this isn't really a story to tell. It's considered treason to speak of the purge so..." He winced. "Look, why do you want to know?"

"I just do." he stated, trying to act casual. "Just... Curiousity." he repeated.

Leon didn't buy it for a moment. "What's so important that you need to know all about Lord Ambrosius?"

"Yes Prince Arthur. Do tell?"

Arthur spun around and saw Sir Arnold was swinging around his sword freely. Arthur remembered what Geoffrey had said about Sir Arnold and his interest in Merlin behind closed doors and took a nervous step back. "Looking into your bastard manservants genealogy, are we?"

Arthur acted confused. "What? No. I simply heard you mention the name to my father and have been curious ever since."

"Do not lie to me, Prince." Arnold shook his head. "Sir Lewis, Sir Goloris and I scoured Ealdor like the filthy chamber pot of a village it was and lo and behold, all we could find was Hunith. Everyone in the five kingdoms knew she was a whore with a soft spot for Balinor and she proved it by getting herself knocked up with his devil child. The King refuses to see it because of your mother's friendship with her, but there were many of us here before the purge and we are not all so blind."

Arthur growled and raised his sword to Arnold's throat. "Don't you dare ever speak of Merlin that way again. He is not the devil or a bastard. He is just a child."

"A Dragonlord." Arnold hissed, staring down at the raised sword. "Just like his dirty blooded father."

"How can he be a Dragonlord?" Leon scoffed, getting Arthur to put his sword down by placing a hand on his shoulder just before he attacked. "Merlin couldn't tame a dog, let alone a dragon. Anyway, he doesn't practice magic."

"Dragonlord's are born, not trained. They are simply skilled sorcerers who are born with the language of dragons in their mouths." Arnold smirked as Arthur, Leon and Elyan all heard a rustling behind them. "But don't take my word for it."

Arnold pointed to the source of the noise and the three boys turned to see Merlin approaching, looking concerned. "I came to see if you were all ready." he said when he came within hearing distance, feeling the tension between Arthur and his fellow.

Arthur nodded briskly and put a hand on Merlin's shoulder, pushing him away from Arnold. He looked to Leon and he got the message. He wrapped his arm around Merlin's shoulder as Elyan collected his equipment. "Come on. It'll be nightfall soon."

Arthur waited for them to leave, Merlin constantly shooting looks of confusion of his shoulder. When they were out of hearing distance Arthur raised his sword back to Sir Arnold's throat and the older knight staggered back. "I do not believe for one second, Merlin's father is who you say he is and even if you swear you are right straight to your grave, if you ever tell Merlin a single breath of this I will make your trip far quicker. Do we have an understanding?"

Arnold smiled lazily. "You do realise, if I'm right you'll be aiding and hiding a sorcerer. Treason Arthur. You are committing treason."

"Lucky you're not right then." Arthur growled in a low voice. "Stay away from Merlin. Far, far away."

Arthur went to walk off when Arnold called out. "Don't you want to hear the end of the story? Don't you want to know why he ran? What your father did to the man your mother asked to be your godfather?"

Arthur wondered if he should keep walking but instead turned to face Arnold. "My mother knew him?"

"The Court was a very different place before your birth. Your mother's best friends were a peasant, a Sorceress and a Dargonlord." his smile stretched over his face as Arthur was drawn in.

"At the start of the Great Purge your father, knowing the dragons were still a threat to Camelot sent Balinor on a hapless quest to distract him, whilst having every dragon and their lord in Albion killed. Finally, when Balinor returned, confused as he heard tales of his brother's fall one by one, he tricked Balinor into bringing the last dragon into the pits of Camelot for peace. But when the dragon arrived, I myself helped to bind him in the chains Balinor had once made to help bind the more dangerous of the breed. Then we were ordered to arrest Balinor but he escaped our dungeons and fled.

"No one ever mentioned that Balinor was your father's most trusted advisor. No one ever mentioned that they were distant cousins, linked by generations of blood. No one mentioned he is still the owner, to this day of a town on the lands of Camelot. He was turned into the enemy and your father wanted him killed because of the magic he had, so we hunted him like the animal he was."

Arthur thought of an older Merlin, betrayed and forced to watch his kin fall. He tried not to look disgusted at the almost pleasurable look Arnold wore. Instead he turned his head and wiped the looks off his face then turned back. "As you should have. He was a sorcerer. That's all there is to it."

"I know. Just remember that you hear your manservant shouting out in ancient languages." Arnold smiled so pleasantly it was almost sickly.

Arthur backed away and walked towards the lower town where he knew he was meeting Merlin and the others, words swirling through his head that he'd rather not remember or know.

_A peasant, a Sorceress and a Dragonlord…_ He winced as the image he had of his mother, dutiful and loving, vanished and was replaced with a woman who spoke with Druids and entertained Magic. His entire life, Arthur had seen magic as something evil that was a poison to the lands but his mother had been a friend of two practitioners. Had been close enough with one to hand Arthur to him to afford him a blessing.

He winced again as the image of a Druid child, screaming and shot down in front of him raced through his mind and echoed like voices in a cavern. _No,_ he thought, throwing the thought from his mind and swallowing back bile.

It had been five months since _that_ had happened and two since _that_ had crossed his mind. Merlin had never forgotten to bring him a potion to give him a dreamless sleep and without the constant nightmares, the memories faded from his daytime too.

But now the mother who had cradled the child as he screamed and died became his own mother, in his minds eye, and she was staring up at him in pain, pleading with him to understand his actions.

_No._ He told himself stubbornly and thought of something else. _Anything _else. _Merlin's birthday,_ he started chanting in his mind.

As he reached just around the corner from the well, now with what he knew, he had nothing to give to Merlin. He couldn't tell Merlin about his father because if he knew Balinor to be his father then surely he would be killed. Merlin spoke endlessly and Arthur highly doubted the boy could keep the secret forever. There was also a part of Arthur that didn't want him to know because it then might spark an interest for him with magic.

Once more he threw the nightmare of the Druid camps out of his mind as he pictured his mother cradling a very dead Merlin in her arms, screaming for his pity and his humanity. _Buy him a birthday present,_ he told himself, needing to think of something else.

He patted himself down and found a few coin on him. He went to the nearest market that was just starting to close and looked at all the belongings there. There were all sorts of odds and ends and he looked up at the woman working.

"What's something good for a thirteen year old boy?" he asked, pulling out a few coins. Reflecting back to his thirteenth birthday present of a new sword, Arthur wasn't so sure what average people liked as gifts. While Merlin was good at wielding daggers and crossbows, Arthur didn't think that it suited him so much and anyway, weapons were usually gifted for eighteenths and older.

Silently the woman picked up a leather rope, her eyes filled with molten brown and barely opening above the deep sleepless skin underneath. "Pick some trinkets. The silver ones." She pointed the strange rings and knotted beads and nodded to him to go on.

Arthur glanced through and pointed at a ring, a strange knot that he had seen before on a Camelot shield's design and a small black stone that, for some strange reason Arthur felt drawn to. He picked it up and handed it to the woman then offered out his coins. She laced the beads and took the coins then said, "For this much you can have one more." Arthur looked down at the trinkets and his eyes were drawn to a small hand crafted dragon.

Like the stone, Arthur felt compelled to pick it up. He knew he was stepping on dangerous territory and wondered if he would dare with the keen eyes of Arnold on Merlin at all times. _But he wears his neckerchief and most of the time it would be tucked under his shirt_. He couldn't help himself. "Here. This one." He gave the last trinket to the woman who laced the dragon through the string and it nestled itself in the middle of the ring, looking as though it belonged.

"Have a nice evening, sire." The woman bowed and handed Arthur the necklace in a small drawstring bag, then continued closing up.

Arthur smiled and tucked it into his pocket, feeling that at least he could give Merlin a small piece of his father for his troubles in the form of a tiny dragon. He went down to the well where Morgana and Gwen were already waiting, a smile on his face and his troubles somewhat eased.

"Arthur!" Morgana exclaimed. "I can explain..."

"No need. Merlin invited me." he said, rolling his eyes. "So this is why you show up to breakfast with father barely awake. I see now."

Morgana growled at him. Leon, Elyan and Merlin came from the blacksmith's forge and the older two beamed with Elyan rubbing his hands together. "The festivities are about to start. Gaius has come for the first time in my life." Leon handed Morgana and Arthur cloaks which Morgana put on as though it was the ordinary for her. Arthur followed lead and pulled the hood over his head.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "He's is probably looking for me."

"Let's go then." Leon said, taking the lead of escort.

The six of them trudged down into the lower town and Merlin fell back with Arthur, behind the others. "What was all that about with Sir Arnold?"

"Don't worry about it. He's just being a... a... a prat." he said for lack of a better word.

Merlin snorted then his wide smile turned into a soft one. "Whatever you were defending me for this time, thanks. It can't be easy having a servant who can barely walk in a straight line let alone do any serving."

"It had nothing to do with _you_." Arthur lied. He pulled out Merlin's gift and handed it to him. "Now take that and stop talking about Sir Arnold. Honestly. It's almost as if you want to have a horrible birthday, _Mer_lin."

Merlin looked at the necklace and grinned. "Thank you." he said, tugging it over his head then looking at each of the silver decorations. Arthur noted he paused on the stone, just as he had then fingered the dragon with a smile. "Is this your way of saying I'm a girl? By buying me jewellery?"

"Yes it is Merlin." Arthur laughed then ran ahead when Merlin tried to hit him. They got to the celebration and Merlin kept blushing whenever someone wished him a Happy Birthday and Arthur and Morgana were accepted as the humblest of guests, though Arthur noted they treated Morgana more like one of their own.

As the bells tolled the hour before midnight Arthur saw Merlin and Gaius freeze and look up from the fire and into the sky. Arthur watched and waited and saw the fire dance yellow into Merlin's eyes and he turned to look at Gaius who was in shock himself. It lasted a moment then Merlin turned back to the dance and swung Morgana around.

Arthur was eventually dragged in to dance by Merlin and partnered up with Gwen, while Morgana danced on with Merlin. He chuckled at the thought that these were his friends but not quite realising the truth of who they all would turn out to be.

None of them went home until the early hours of the morning.

* * *

What Arthur, or Merlin, for that matter didn't know was that thirteen was a very powerful year in any magical child's life. The number was powerful enough as it was and most children were only starting to develop their magic.

But for the ones who had already started to develop their magic abilities, the thirteenth year was the one in which their magic became beacons and other sorcerers, Druids and magicians alike could sense them out and identify them. It was when magic surrounded the body like an aura and determined whether one could learn the practice of the art form, even if they had spent their entire childhood in disdain of it.

Merlin knew he had been born at night, but wasn't aware the exact time. Upon the hour of his birth, his magic became audible to the rest of the magical community. His whole body shivered as his magic exploded from within him and made an aura without.

Morgana felt a change around him, but being unlearned in the art of magic she had no idea what it was that suddenly made Merlin feel so powerful and strong. She thought, shaking the thoughts from her mind, it was her awe of the boy who defied Uther growing into admiration. Gwen felt it too, albeit weaker as she had no latent talents in magic and, like many others, simply put the feeling down to believing that Merlin was in someway special.

None were quite prepared for just how powerful Merlin was. From Camelot to all outreaches of Albion and some across the seas, into the depths of the Isle of the Blessed and in a cave in the Mountains of Feorre, shuddering the Crystal Caves and waking the Sidhe of Avalon, Merlin's aura sent out a beacon to all the magically gifted. Whether they felt the magic in a rumble and roar, or twitched in their sleep as their own aura was disturbed by a new presence, they felt him.

It awoke the powerful Nimueh and her wards, the baby letting out a savage cry and the girl sitting up and gasping in surprise. Morgause turned her head to Nimueh, the women sharing a lodging in the bowels of the empty Isle. "What was that?" Morgause asked.

Nimueh turned her head up to the sky then back down to her ward. "Get the child." she ordered.

The girl sighed then got up and made her way to the crying child, the baby no older than three was a blubbering mess at the shock of the magic. He hadn't yet come into his own magic but it was clear as day that he had some and would be able to spell soon enough. His cries already could shatter glass.

He was Morgause's responsibility, being her child after all, but for some reason the mother couldn't help but feel disdain for the child that was prophesised to be more powerful than her, yet he could not walk.

She hushed him on instinct then turned to Nimueh who had her head bowed in concentration, twisting it to the side in deep thought. Morgause knew her Priestess was communing with the palpable magic on the Isle and waited until she was ready.

Nimueh opened her eyes quickly, the deep blues glaring gold as she tilted her head back. "Emrys." she murmured, her mind totally clear of all thought except that the legendary warlock was in Camelot. Knowing the future and the foretold destiny, she turned to Morgause. "My dear, I believe it may be the time for patience is over. I believe it might finally come time to act."

* * *

All across Albion many recognised the magic as the strongest in the land and many found themselves whispering the name of legend too.

The Great Dragon, trapped beneath the castle of Camelot looked up for the first time in over a decade and laughed quietly as he imagined his imprisonment was coming to an end.

A young, plain girl woke up, feeling the magic like a heart beat within her chest. It scared her that she couldn't recognise the feeling, untrained in her gifts so she escaped her tower and took a horse, to go and rest her head against the roguish boy four years her elder whom she was reluctantly betrothed to, but trusted more as a friend than anyone else in Albion. Her brother just wouldn't understand.

A young child watched on, with burning shame in himself, as his father barely flinched at the magic. Instead the once regal man sat in a nursing chair beside a fire, his son watching him pick up a flagon of ale once more and not noticing when the young boy flinched at the sound of the droplets hitting the dirt floor.

A long dead king lifted his head and breathed out a plume of dust, thankful his long wait was almost over as he turned the vial over in his hands.

A Druid girl, living in a village sobbed, crawling under the sheets of her bed with bloodstained hands, barely acknowledging the magical ripple that had pulled her skin and dragged her nails back into her fingers.

A knight and his father, a retired veteran of Camelot looked at each other across the fireplace, both of them curious as to what made such a disturbance in the air.

A serving girl shifted uncomfortably on the cold ground at the foot of her mistresses bed and looked out the window and let the full moon blind her. She dreamt of a life away from imprisonment and a noble and honourable knight rescuing her from her mistresses clutches, not knowing that at that very moment miles away said knight was throwing buckets of water over his burning village that had erupted into flames as a group of bandits had attacked.

A man across time and space smiled lightly as he returned himself to his comforts birthplace, a glittering wonderland that did not exist in a dimension of time most were comfortable with, in wait of the instant when he would once again be needed.

Another man turned his head to the old and ancient place that had once been his home, curious to whether or not his old mentor was at the heart of the magic. He looked questioningly at his father who had a smile flickering on his lips as he watched his two sons in the lights of the silent camp.

A sonless king looked up from his crown, the dead rumbled behind the veil, the changelings shifted uncomfortably in their hosts, a troll spluttered on her rotten meal and a goblin banged inside the walls of his cage aching for freedom.

It all happened within a single breath of a moment that, thirteen years ago, had been signalled with a newborns cry and a clap of thunder.

Only one man turned over in his bed, ignoring the source of magic that erupted from Camelot. _Poor fool will have himself killed,_ he growled mentally and closed his eyes and dreamt of his woman.

* * *

**A/N:** So. I have a lot of unnamed characters in here.

The baby, the young plain girl, her betrothed, her brother, the young child and his father, the long dead king, the druid girl, a knight and his father, the serving girl, the mistress, the knight, a man across time and space, another man, his father and his brother, a sonless king, the dead, the changelings, a troll, a goblin, one old man and the woman.

Eight of these twenty-four people are original characters.

Out of those eight only three of them _aren't_ from the legend.

One of those three has already been mentioned in this fiction repetitively or I have alluded to their existence I think in almost every chapter but this one and the last two...

One of the twenty-four has already been a supporting character in this fiction.

So a little challenge. All of these characters will be mentioned eventually, plus more. These ones are just the ones _I_ find important or like... I'm sure you can guess heaps of them - the man across time and space, the dead, the changelings, the troll and the goblin are a little obvious if you've watched the show - so if you want to have a crack at it, go ahead. Whoever guesses the most gets to pick a drabble for me to write between chapters. :)

P.S. Technically, I could click 'complete' now and then start the next part as a new story, but I'm too lazy. :) ONWARDS!


	16. Foreigners and Dragons

**A/N: **Well, well, well... I got more hits and followers after the last chapter. Thank you! **A maze thing, **lol. You can ask questions. Just the question you asked last time directly related to the ending of the chapter so I couldn't tell you then make you read. Sometimes, I will be reluctantly to answer. Mwahahaha... Oh and you got some but... Who did you think was Tristan? **bubzchoc, **thank you! **Curly Wurly Me,** Argh, thank you for telling me. I don't know why FF does this time me. I STILL CAN'T PUT PAGE BREAKS ON CHAPTER 10! (deflates now) **Distressed Clover,** lol. It's cool. Study. :)

First new plot... _now._

* * *

**Foreigners and the Dragon**

"_Merlin…_"

For what felt like the hundredth time that fortnight, Merlin jumped and turned to see who had called him. As always, he spun around and saw now one in the immediate area and started once more down the hall to Arthur's room with his laundry.

It had started the morning after his birthday when he was woken up before sunrise by the sound of someone hissing his name in his ear. He had thought it was Gaius, but was soon proven wrong.

Gaius had been asleep.

Merlin frowned and went on with his day, but every few minutes he heard someone calling for him. It was hard to say that it was even someone calling a name similar to his, because honestly, what name was similar to his? Marvin, Mervin, Martin... They were the names the king called him sometimes during feasts. But usually, Merlin was alone when he heard his name.

There was also something deep and gravelly about the voice. It seemed to come from the earth itself and pushed against Merlin's magic and was sometimes painful to listen to. _Probably because it doesn't belong there…_

"Merlin?" The boy jumped and turned and saw Arthur coming up from the great hall. "Have you still not finished my laundry?"

"Think of the money, Arthur." Merlin said cheekily, trying to ignore his nerves.

"Is it really worth it?" he asked. Merlin actually didn't think it was. Not for Arthur anyway. Arthur was prince. He had a large allowance. But the thrill of gambling and putting everyone in their place was the main goal here. "Why do you look a scared rabbit?"

Merlin shook his head from his musings and said, rather diplomatically. "Why do you look like a prat? We can't control our features, Arthur."

Arthur frowned but let it go, only half in the mood to banter.. "Well just so you know, preparations for my birthday are being made. I'm to be knighted officially at the same time, so it'll be a big celebration."

"Really... I didn't know that. I would never have guessed with all the added chores I have to help prepare the castle. Or the fact that the entire kingdom is in an uproar getting ready. Maybe it was the lack of sleep I've had that should have given it away."

"Think of the money." Arthur quipped.

"Hmm… Is it _really _worth it?" Merlin teased back.

Arthur snickered. "I'm loathing the party, if you wish to know. Lords and Ladies are coming from all over and I have to be polite and know all their names."

Merlin grinned. "Are you going to have to dance in front of them?"

"Shut up, Merlin."

They went back into Arthur's room together and Merlin continued with his chores while Arthur paced about, bored. He had nothing to do for the afternoon so, as he would normally do on these days, stayed with Merlin. Sometimes, when Merlin just wanted to use his magic for his chores, this annoyed him but today, he didn't mind so much.

Eventually Arthur picked up an apple from his fruit bowl and started tossing it around, the picked up a second to juggle, much to Merlin's amusement.

Then it happened again. "_Merlin..._"

"Yes?" he replied, looking at Arthur from the bed he was making.

"Sorry?" Arthur said, catching the apples and staring back.

"For what?"

"What?"

"What are you sorry for?"

Arthur frowned. "I didn't mean that kind of sorry. I meant 'what did you say'?"

"When?"

"You said yes."

"Said yes to what?"

"I don't know, you're the one who said it."

"You called my name."

"You said yes!"

Arthur's voice had been steadily rising until he was yelling at him. Merlin scratched his head, terribly confused then realised it was the voice he'd been hearing and not Arthur that called for him. He growled, "I keep hearing someone call my name, but when I look, no one's there."

Arthur grinned and teased. "Hearing things, are you Merlin? Voices in your head?"

Merlin frowned. "That's what I just said. Honestly, Arthur. I might be hearing things but you seem to be going deaf."

"_Mer_lin."

"_Merlin…_"

He darted his head up. "There it was again!"

Arthur looked slightly worried now. "That's probably because I just said your name."

"No, no. It was after that. And it kind of breathed my name out... Like... Like..." he made a face and hissed out, "_Merliiin..._" He sounded like Gaius, if Gaius was panting and chewing on chalk at the same time. At least, that's what he sounded like to Arthur.

Arthur's concerned face grew sceptical. "Are you feeling alright?"

Merlin pouted a bit in thought. "I don't know what it is."

"_Merlin…_"

He darted his head around, looking for the source of the voice while Arthur looked at him as though he was crazy. "Maybe you should sit down." Arthur offered.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm fine! I just heard it again."

"The voice?"

"Yes Arthur." Merlin felt like rolling his eyes, but held back.

Arthur leant over and touched the back of his hand to Merlin's cheek, then his forehead. "You're not fevered."

Merlin couldn't help himself slapping his masters hand away. He rolled his eyes. "I could have told you that."

Arthur ignored him. "You should go home and rest. Maybe even tell Gaius. This could be a new symptom of your mental affliction."

"I don't have a mental affliction!"

Arthur smirked. "I beg to differ."

With a happy grin, Merlin dropped the things he held in his hand to the floor and said. "Fine. I'll just take the rest of the day off for my mental affliction, _sire_. You can just continue juggling on your own."

Arthur only then realised without Merlin around he would be alone with a large list of chores. "What? Wait. No!" But Merlin had already left with a slam of the door. "Dammit."

* * *

He'd thought that with rest, everything would get better. But instead, the voice got louder and louder in the thirteen year olds head over the next week, leaving him with a headache. Gaius found him curled up in bed with his pillow over his head. "My boy, are you alright?"

Merlin shook his head, in a great deal of pain from the yelling in his mind. "Can I be sick today?" Merlin pleaded.

Gaius nodded with a sad smile. He gave him a potion to induce sleep and sent Arthur a replacement servant for the day, to let him rest.

Morgana came around in the afternoon with Gwen and sat beside his bed. Merlin had his cheek buried in his pillow and was looking up at them through half open lids. "Arthur's worried about you. He's just not willing to admit it so sent us to check on you."

"I'm fine." Merlin said. "Headache. Gaius has given me some potion."

"Arthur said you were hearing voices."

"_Morgana_!" Gwen hissed.

"What?" she glared at Gwen. "It's just a question."

"Sometimes, I think you need to listen more to what Helen says about proper etiquette… milady."

Morgana just rolled her eyes. "So, _have_ you been hearing voices?"

"Just hearing someone call my name." Merlin had a particularly painful throb in his head and winced.

Gwen noticed his pain and put her hand over Morgana's. "I think we should let him sleep. He looks tired."

"Okay then." Morgana got up and went to leave. Gwen left first after Morgana insisted then she ran back and kissed Merlin on the cheek. He smiled lightly at her and she grinned back. "Get better." She whispered and then rushed after Gwen.

Merlin grinned sheepishly and fell asleep again.

But then the voice was running through his dreams."_Merlin… Merlin… Merlin… Come find me._"

Two bright gold eyes burnt in his vision and forced Merlin wake and bolt up, knocking his covers back. He looked around out of habit and wasn't surprised to find the room absolutely empty, the golden sunset washing through his room and burning the eyes in his retinas. He swallowed stiffly. For the first time the voice hadn't just called for him. It asked him to search its source and the headache melted away into nothingness.

He stood up and quickly pulled his brown jacket on, pulling it tightly around him. He put his shoes on and opened his door just enough to peer out through the door to see Gaius busily working on the king's potion for his war injury.

It wasn't too difficult to sneak passed and get out to the hall. As he reached the hall just outside the physician chambers, the voice came again. "_Turn left..._"

He turned his head in the direction of the voice and followed, eager to have the voice gone from his head and more, wanting to know what it wanted.

People bustled in and out of the castle, paying him no mind as he skittered through, trying to make the right turns. . Merlin was fairly certain that they all simply thought his hurried actions were on behalf of the prince.

"_Right._"

Merlin rushed deeper and deeper into the castle until he was in a corner he'd never been to before. It was dark and dank and guarded by four guards playing a card game.

In the book of magic Gaius had given him there had been a sleeping spell. Occasionally, when he was supposed to be exercising the dogs – a test in patience and torture – Merlin had practiced on them.

Nothing that _hurt them_. Merlin couldn't stand hurting anyone.

No, just silly things, normally.

He bit his lip trying to remember the one he'd used on the other day on an over agitated pup that just wouldn't stop biting him. He grinned and held his hand out. "_Swefe nu!_" Nothing happened. _Using it on humans requires a bit more magic, I presume._ He bit his lip and tried again, this time imagining what he wanted to happen. "_Swefe nu!_" Like... Well… exactly like magic, they fell asleep.

Merlin grinned at his first proper spell that was performed on a human and not Arthur's dogs, and shuffled down into the depths of the castle.

No longer could he hear the voice being called out in his mind. It was now a physical presence and all the pressure eased off his mind in a euphoric moment. "Ah, hello tiny warlock."

He reached the bottom of the long staircase and looked up to see the last thing Merlin had ever suspected. Two large eyes stared down at him from and enormous height above. Scales made from gold glistened across from him, armouring a huge winged body and the face of the most human looking lizard he had ever seen.

In his life, Merlin had never imagined such a creature but he had heard of them. He had heard of them a great deal. "You're a dragon." he breathed, staring the magnificent creature up and down – though mostly it was up.

"I am the Great Dragon. The last of my kind, imprisoned here by Uther Pendragon." The Dragon replied, lifting his neck up proudly.

Merlin a little in awe repeated himself. "You are a dragon. I am talking to a dragon."

The Great Dragon sighed. "You are now pointing out the obvious."

Merlin fell onto his backside, still in a little shock and gently touched his own head. "Maybe I do have a fever."

"You are not ill, I can assure you this." The Great Dragon leant down to inspect him closer but Merlin grew angry.

"You gave a me headache." Merlin said, a little annoyed. "I was in a great deal of pain this morning because of you."

"You weren't being very receptive to my calls." The Dragon said.

"So you decided to play a drumbeat in my head?"

The Dragon huffed its chest out. "It didn't quite work like that. You tried blocking me out. I simply forced my way in."

"With an army owning metal shoes, it sounded like."

The Dragon seemed to have enough. "You are quite small for one with a destiny so great." he said, narrowing his eyes. "If it weren't for the magic I feel vibrating from you, I would believe that maybe you were another."

Merlin was still shocked at the whole dragon thing so the words the beast spoke only resonated a few seconds later. "Destiny? What?"

"Your great destiny. The legend that had been prophesised for centuries. Arthur is destined to unite the kingdoms of Albion and return magic to all the lands."

Merlin frowned. "Wait... Arthur will what?"

"You heard me, young Warlock." The dragon arched his back and smiled. "And it is your destiny to ensure it happens. Your destiny to protect him. Your destiny to keep him alive long enough to fulfil such a destiny and to build Albion by his side."

Merlin frowned, scratching his head. "Arthur... Is going to one day accept magic?"

"All because of you. The two of you have a great future ahead of you and but it can only made together."

Merlin nodded slowly. "Right." he said. "I still don't get what a dragon is doing under Camelot."

The Great Dragon sighed and wondered if all of this would have been easier of he waited until the boy was older. "Uther trapped me here, keeping me as a trophy after murdering my kin."

"Now I don't get how a relatively small man in comparison to you, trapped... Well... You."

The Dragon roared and Merlin jumped back and away from the beast. "It does not matter, young Warlock! What matters is now you know your destiny. Now you must fulfil it and bring magic back to Albion!"

"That's an awful big order in one day!" Merlin yelled. "What am I supposed to do? Walk up to Arthur and say, 'Hey. I'm magical. Accept me!'" Merlin flung his arms out dramatically and the Dragon glared.

"It is your destiny, Merlin. Fulfil it how you see fit, but it must be made true or else all of Albion and every magic user shall perish."

Merlin seemed to understand the gravity of this supposed destiny for about five seconds before he tilted his head to the side and was once again taken by the fact he was standing there in front of a giant dragon having a conversation about destiny and prophecies, like it was the daily gossip. In five seconds, he was back to staring at the dragon, mouth slightly agape at the shock of the creature.

The dragon shook his head and sighed, taking flight as the boy stared in awe.

* * *

It was the week before Arthur's birthday and the castle was in a spin preparing for the feast. Merlin visited the Dragon whenever he could, mainly in hopes of getting rid of the headache that burst through his mind whenever the Dragon got angry at him for not visiting, but then he would just talk in riddles anyway and the point of avoiding a headache was lost.

All in all, he hadn't learnt much else from his Great Destiny apart from the fact he needed to protect Arthur.

Acrobats and players were being brought in from all over the five kingdoms and some from further and Merlin was given specific instructions by Arthur to be his personal 'greeter and thanker'. Though Merlin was convinced Arthur invented the role on the spot when he realised he had no wish to do it.

"I cannot personally see to it that each and everyone of these people are greeted and thanked for their coming, so you will on my behalf." Arthur explained.

"Why can't you do it?" Merlin asked again as Arthur's personal tailor was making up some horrid outfit for Merlin to wear, including some puffy shirt and red velvet trousers.

"Because Merlin, it's too much for one man to do."

Merlin frowned. "If it's too much for one man, why am I the only one being put into one of these?"

"Because it's too much for one man _with all my responsibilities _to do."

"Squire training, knight training, council meetings which you continuously avoid and papers which you actually started making me sign by forging your signature?"

"Yes."

Merlin blinked rapidly. "Does this mean I won't have any chores?"

"Gods no!"

"Well then I still don't understand." For his efforts, Merlin received a brass goblet to the head. "Ow!" Arthur snickered. "One of these days you're going to give me a concussion."

"We can only hope that then you will forget your disobedience."

Walking around the castle with a list of people he had to thank, Merlin felt quite ridiculous. The velvet trousers came with a matching cape and a hat he downright refused to even look at let alone wear. "But it's tradition, Merlin." Arthur had tried to sound scolding but the grin of amusement on his face gave him away.

"You are a sick man, Arthur Pendragon. Sick and twisted." Merlin had huffed back.

It had taken him the better half of the morning to get around to barely a quarter of the performers. He hurriedly asked the other servants for the names and talents of each person he was about to meet, unable to know them all, he said a gracious thanks on behalf of the prince. "Prince Arthur is otherwise engaged in his duties, or would have personally thanked you himself." he assured the dancers from across the seas. The women were without their master and stared back at him blankly. "You can't speak English, can you?" he assumed.

"English!" one of them perked up, recognizing the word. "English, no very good. Little bit."

"Right then." Merlin said with a sigh. "Ughh... Thank you!" he bowed and then went to back out of the room but he collided into something very solid that wasn't a wall.

He gulped and turned around to see a large man looming over him with a gruff beard and dark almond eyes. "Who are you?" he growled, his accent thick from across the same sea these women must have come from.

"I-I..." Merlin's eye caught sight of a large amber brooch, nestled between the leathers and furs the brutish man wore. It was wrapped in a bronze plate and emanated magic from its very depths. "I'm the Prince's manservant. Merlin." he said, quickly bowing as low as he possibly could.

The man seemed to check him over, studying him carefully. The necklace Arthur had gotten him over the strange ruffled collar of his shirt. From the moment Arthur had handed the necklace to Merlin, he felt magic pour from it and wrap around him as he put it on. He had asked Gaius what the stone was and he merely smiled as he looked the obsidian stone over. "It is a stone which negates all negative energy."

Merlin had made a small 'oh' shape with his mouth and fingered the stone.

Now it felt like it was throbbing against his chest as the foreign man scrutinized him with a harsh glare. Merlin tried to stay his ground. Arthur hadn't told him what to do if anyone was upset with him.

"My name is Ahmet. We are the dancers from Constantinople" he said finally. "_Kizlar, buraya gel._" The man spoke in a foreign tongue Merlin couldn't understand. The girls lined up and Merlin finally counted six of them. "What is your message?"

Merlin swallowed and drew his shoulders back. "That Prince Arthur wishes to give you his thanks and that he would have thanked you himself had he not been otherwise engaged with duties."

Ahmet turned to the girls and grunted, "_Prens bize teşekkür etmek istiyor ama kendisi bunu söylemek için çok meşgul._"

The girls all giggled and one of them actually made a sigh. Ahmet rolled his eyes and turned back to Merlin. "You have made their day." he grumbled.

Merlin nodded ever so slowly. "Well I must be off. Thank you for your time..." he went to bow when the man caught his arm and gripped it tight. "How long have you been working here, boy?"

Merlin winced under the tight grip that bruised his arm and tried dragging himself away, which only made Ahmet's grip tighter. "Six months, give or take."

"How has a falcı served under Uther in the Court of Camelot for so long?" The man asked, scrutinizing him.

Merlin didn't understand. "A... A what?"

"Falcı. Warlock."

It was now the second time Merlin had been called that. He shook his head though, because this time it was a dragon trapped underneath the city that was speaking to him. "I'm sorry. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Lütfen, don't lie to me. Forbearnan." he whispered and a fire blazed up in one hand as the fingers of his other touched the amber on his chest. Merlin jumped back in surprise but none of the girls looked shocked at the sight of their master performing magic with rings of gold around his brown eyes. "We are here for a week and we are worried. You make the castle your home."

Merlin stared at the dancing flame, enchanted. "I... I practice magic discreetly." he said, giving up on hiding his secret and more engaged in watching the flames in the mans hand. It was hypnotic and Merlin had to wonder if there was extra magic in the fire. "I'm only living here because I have no where else to go. My home is in a village a nights journey from here." Merlin looked up at Ahmet, the eyes he once thought were filled with anger and darkness now warming him. "I was thrown out of my home for being different."

Ahmet looked confused. "So you came to the one place in all of Albion that would have you killed just for living?"

Merlin knew it was a lame excuse but dejectedly added, "My uncle of sorts lives here."

"That is a brave way to live." Ahmet said quietly. "Why do you chose to do so?"

There was no answer Merlin could think of. Why _did _he choose to stay in Camelot? Because he had nowhere else to go? It wasn't completely true. Hunith had a cousin in Mercia who loved Merlin. He could have gone to live with her after he left Ealdor.

In fact, Merlin could have left Gaius already and gone off on his own adventure. He'd said it once before that he had nowhere to go but the truth was, if Merlin used his magic he sometimes thought he was capable of anything. Or at least, he was thoroughly convinced he was capable of anything. Since he learnt how to slow down time, life had been quite spectacular.

So why did he chose to stay in Camelot of all places. "It just feels right to be here." Merlin replied honestly as his heart started to swell with compassion. "I like it here."

Ahmet looked him up and down, calculating his threat then said, "Tonight. After you are finished with your chores meet me in my chambers next door. I will show you something."

Merlin nodded, very much a nervous wreck but he was dismissed so hurried off. It took him fifteen minutes of contemplation whether or not to join the man to remember that he still had half an army of performers to thank and scuttled off, doing his job with only half a mind and needing to find out more about the strange Ahmet.

* * *

**A/N: **I kind of took advantage of the fact Merlin is just a kid in this chapter... I sometimes thing Merlin in the show was a little too cool with the fact he walked into the underground of Camelot and found a dragon. Just saying...

_Translations:_

_* Girls, come here_

_* The prince would like to thank us but cannot do so in person as he is busy._

So anyone want to take a gander at what my first language was if it wasn't English? LoL...

Review. I accept flames too, so chill. I'm a big girl.


	17. Training, Healing, Sleeping

**A/N: **Season 5 episode 1... Well... I need to know what happens now... *tears*

Just a little fyi, whatever happens in Season 5 won't really effect my story or characterisation of any characters they bring into the new season... I've already written the final three chapters (it was what I wrote in hospital) and know the basic layout of the fic and am so not in the mood to change it... Nor do I want to actually. The last few chapters I like. :)

**A maze thing, **are you psychic? Sir Arnold was supposed to be in this chapter, but then it was too long so I moved his appearance into the next one. **spinnerofdark,** so far so good. You have the most thus far. **bubzchoc, **thanks! **IndiaMoore****,** you can start knowing the story now... **Jayley,** yep. Turkish. My first language. :)

* * *

**Training, Healing, Sleeping**

It took Merlin half an hour after returning to the kitchens with Arthur's empty plates, to decide whether or not he was going to see Ahmet.

All through out Arthur's dinner, the prince couldn't tell anything was wrong, laughing as he retold a story about some squire names Nicholas tripping over in training.

He half-heartedly chuckled in all the right places, consumed with the thought of what Ahmet wanted to see him for. He determined it couldn't be anything good, the thrumming on his chest around the obsidian stone had warned him the man had a darker side. However he could have just been threatening him, as any master would when they got too close to their property. _Maybe, at first he didn't know about my magic, and was just being wary._

His curiosity refused to falter and he kept praying that Arthur would just hurry up already as the decision to go or not to go waged war in his mind.

_But if he knows about magic… _That was how Merlin ended up in front of Ahmet's door, knocking and shifting from foot to foot as he waited for him to come out. Never in his life had he met a fellow with magic, though he had met and knew of _one_ who had the potential for it but had yet to learn properly how to wield their gifts.

_Maybe he can show me what real magic looks like and not just the tricks I can pull off._

The door opened and one of the dancers appeared, bowing to Merlin deeply before stepping away to allow him entrance. "Thank you." he said uncertainly. Never before had anyone ever bowed to Merlin and he wasn't sure how to receive it. Awkwardly, the thirteen year old bumbled a little and bowed back.

"Ah, Merlin." Ahmet greeted him, waving his arm to invite him to sit across from him on a table laden with food. "Come. Join me." Ahmet wore loose trousers and a even looser kaftan over that Merlin had seen a lot of people in the east of Albion wear during their travels through Ealdor. In his hands he carried a strange set of beads and flicked them between his fingers, counting in a strange language as he did so in the silence as Merlin took in the bedroom.

The guest had made the quarters their own, hanging veils and setting up a strange pipe which only Ahmet seemed to be smoking from. It gave off the scent of rose oil and tobacco and the smoke that erupted from it was tinged with pink.

Merlin briefly looked at the women, standing and doting on Ahmet. They were his dancers and his servants, it seemed but none of them looked unhappy about it. In fact, they all seemed to be in good spirits.

Quietly, Merlin sat down and decided to study the table rather than look up at the woman who had greeted him and led him to the table. "Merlin, this is Zeynep." he said as she approached with a jug of wine, wearing her veiled costume and feeling no shame as Merlin could see her bare stomach through the sheer fabric. "Hello." he said carefully.

Ahmet translated for him and Zeynep bowed deeply a second time. "Now, Merlin. How old are you?" Ahmet asked, clearly not seeing Merlin's discomfort at all the bowing.

"Um... Uh... Thirteen."

"So you just came into your magic?" he said, flicking his beads in thought.

He was going to tell him he had magic since birth. Merlin really was. He opened his mouth to speak but it didn't come out the way he intended. "Yes."

"Hmmm... And you are scared of what this magic will bring you? Are you scared you might be found out? Do you think you might become dangerous? Are you worried that you might not be human?"

"Yes." Merlin didn't hesitate. The fears had been swirling through his head since he could put thought together and recognised his mothers anguish every time he performed magic. There had been a time when he thought it was innocent fun but after months of being forced to play inside whilst all the other children ran around out of fear he would accidentally display his gifts had taught him that it was anything but. Only Will's insistence that his gifts were spectacular put him at ease with his talents, but now there was no one encouraging him, except for Gaius's silent letter, acknowledging his gifts.

Ahmet leant across the table. "Don't be." he held left hand out and touched the other to his amulet and whispered, "_Buterfléoge_." In the middle of his hand erupted a small blue butterfly that flapped it's wings uncertainly then took off in flight, dancing clumsily around the room before landing on Merlin's shoulder. "You might be caught, you might become dangerous. But know that magic is as beautiful as is it deadly and it has been entrusted to you. It is a gift beyond reason and measure. It makes you greater than man.

"It, along with the friend on your shoulder, is yours." he said with a small smile.

Merlin watched the creature, so small yet so beautiful and couldn't help but smile too. "It is?" Merlin murmured. Gently he touched the edge of its wings and the butterfly simply stood and waited.

"I feel a strong magic in you." Ahmet said, leaning back in his chair and once again flicking his beads. "I have not taken an apprentice in years, however I wish to teach you."

Merlin looked up at him with wide eyes. "Really? You wish to teach me? Why?"

Ahmet nodded. "I believe you are special. You are different to most others. I know you are a Warlock, but I cannot tell what kind. I would like to train you to see what your destiny could be."

_The chance to train my magic? The chance to control it properly with spells?_ "Yes." Merlin nodded. "Please teach me."

Ahmet leant back in his chair, flicking his beads once more. "You will not regret this."

* * *

The castle had been quiet and in the middle of the night, that was what everyone expected. The courtyard was empty and all had gone to bed.

Except one.

No one saw the woman, scuttling across the courtyard because no one was awake to and the guards all had their back turned at the right moment, _just by chance._

She made her way out of the castle, down into the lower town and stood beside the well, waiting for something - or more like _someone_. "Are you Aliyah?" The woman turned her head and saw a woman with soot covered face and ragged clothing, staring at her desperately.

Aliyah touched her chest lightly. "Aliyah." she pointed to the second woman. "Mary?"

"Yes." she whispered. "Do you have the potion?"

Aliyah frowned a little then said. "Take me to." she held her hand out and after a moments hesitation, Mary wrapped her arm around Aliyah's and led on to the small hit near the edge of the city.

Mary opened he door and allowed Aliyah inside. It was one large room, with a bed, a kitchen and a curtain to divide the house into two parts. Behind the curtain was a whimpering and Mary took her straight through towards it. "Hannah, dearest. This is Aliyah." Mary whispered.

Aliyah caught sight of, for the first time, the reason for her visit. A small girl, aged three or four, laid in the bed hidden behind the curtain, curled up and hugging her pillow weakly whilst her father watched on, stroking her head. Her reaching was shallow and painful and Gaius, the court physician, had told both parents she had a week at the most. He offered potions to make the passing easier, but Mary had refused to give up, especially when, as a child, she had watched her sister cured of the same ailment... With magic. "Mary." Gregory, the father of the little girl whispered. "What have you done?"

"Saved our daughters life." Mary snapped, then looked back to Aliyah gently. "Please. Help her."

Aliyah nodded and sat down beside the bed and started pulling out supplies from her purse. She laid them gently on the open spare near the edge of Hannah where she wasn't taking up space and started mixing herbs together, checking on Hannah's fever every now and then.

She held the poultice she made, wrapped in a white linen cloth, close to her lips and whispered something that had both parents leaning closer to hear and understand. Aliyah's brown eyes burned gold and she gently put the poultice under Hannah's pillow and stroked the little girls hair lovingly. Almost instantly, the girls breathing evened out. "Beautiful." Aliyah whispered, then smiled up at the parents. "Let sleep. Morning, good." She told them in broken English.

Mary threw her arms around Aliyah's neck. "Thank you." she whispered, then ducked back to her cabinet. "Here. Take this." she withdrew a bag of gold and went to shove it into Aliyah's hands but she backed away and shook her head. "No. Ahh... Efendy no take gold." her face broke out into a smile.

Mary frowned. "Who is Efendy?"

"It is foreign speak for master." Gregory said quietly. "I have heard it before."

Mary turned back to Aliyah. "Well tell your master, I insist."

Aliyah laughed a little, her light brown face lighting up. "No. Life good. Better no money." She bowed to Mary and Gregory then lightly kissed Hannah's forehead before leaving.

"She was an angel." Mary whispered.

Gregory stood up and wrapped his arms around his wife's shoulders. "And what do we do? What do we do when Gaius comes and see's her miraculous recovery?"

"We tell him he was wrong." Mary turned and looked down at their daughter. "She means more to me than life itself."

"If the king finds out, it will be your life." Gregory whispered.

"Then so be it."

* * *

_I need sleep, _Merlin moaned to himself, trying not to sob hysterically for bed.

Preparing for the celebrations was one thing, which he had to be involved with and know every detail of because he was the one who had to relay everything to Arthur who apparently had better things to do than learn the etiquette– sword fighting, teasing Merlin, pretending to learn documents, berating Merlin – for his own birthday.

Then additionally he was still taking care of his chores for Arthur and Gaius. He honestly wondered if maybe it was time to give up on the whole 'physicians apprentice' thing, but even then he would still have to collect herbs and clean because Gaius was much too old to go everyday on his own. Plus, when would he talk to Gwen if he didn't, the serving girl coming on every one of his trips for her own personal break and for the two to catch up as it was the _only_ time either of them had.

On top of all this, he now had his nightly magic classes that he honestly wouldn't give up for the world.

He had learnt so much more already. He'd learnt how to stem and control his magic, learning to make spells more powerful or weaker. He had also learnt how to slow down time and speed it up again with a spell, though he honestly didn't need that. He'd been able to do _that_ since he was four and a half.

He still hadn't told Ahmet he lied when he said he had only just come into his powers and the man just thought Merlin was exceptionally skilled. "You will make a good sorcerer, one day." He said, clapping his back with a wide grin. Later that evening, he'd presented Merlin a silver athame, similar to a dagger but more ceremonial and less ornate.

It had a handle of twisted silver and a thin blade almost circular. It was bewitched in such a way that it would never fail to deliver a deadly blow, should it be used in a fight. "As long as it is embedded to the hilt, it shall not leave its victims alive."

The thought had scared Merlin at first, never one to harm, but then he considered he would never have reason to really use it. He took the athame gratefully and looked up at Ahmet in adoration as he looked down at him with kindness. _Maybe this is what it feels like to have a father._

"Let me teach you how to use it for spell work." Ahmet said, kneeling beside him and next to the small cauldron and Merlin learnt how to use objects to cast and magnify his magic.

One morning he chose to carry the athame instead of the dagger, reasoning that his dagger was more expensive than the athame and then he was less likely to lose it.

He opened the loose floorboard under his bed that he kept his magic book in and wrapped it in cloth before putting it in, and replaced the athame under his shirt with a smile.

Then he had almost been caught one night when he had forgotten that his new butterfly friend that had followed him everywhere, as he attended to Arthur.

The prince looked at him with a vague amount of disbelief and Merlin had no idea as to why, assuming that it was just one of Arthur's many grievances with how he performed his duties. "Merlin?" Arthur said as Merlin prepared him for bed.

"Yes?" Merlin replied airily.

"There is a butterfly following you." he said, his voice filled with apprehension.

Merlin looked up and saw Fred - he had yet to think of a better name - fluttering around his head. "Huh..." he held his finger out and Fred landed on it then he guided the creature to his shoulder, leaving Arthur stunned. "He sort of likes following me around."

"Uhuh." Arthur said, still unsure of what to think about his manservant and the butterfly. What Merlin knew for sure was that he was most definitely not going to hear the end of this one anytime soon.

From then on, Merlin had never forgotten to order Fred to stay in his chambers, and collected flowers for him to rest in.

It had only been five nights and already, Merlin had a large arsenal of spells under his belt. The dancer, it seemed, were magical too.

Zeynep, the only blonde dancer, was a seer, able to make powerful predictions in her sleep.

Fatima, Aygul and Dima were all magically inclined Sorceresses, each with walnut skin and almond eyes.

Çilek was the youngest, only seventeen and was Ahmet's niece. She didn't dance like the other girls but was a seamstress and a healer in training. Çilek knew some English it seemed, and would try to talk to Merlin with her broken skills and teach Merlin some of her home to the in return.

Then there was Aliyah.

Aliyah was the most beautiful of all the dancers, with long black hair that spun to her waist in a waterfall. Her eyes were right green in colour and her skin the colour of almond skins.

She knew English too, a lot better than others and was a master at healing. She taught Merlin some basic spells and he successfully mastered only one. "Haelon" he whispered over the cut Ahmet had intentionally sliced through his own hand with his own athame.

Before Merlin's golden eyes, the scar stitched itself up and pulled back together. He jumped in surprise and Aliyah patted his back, encouragingly.

But he never left Ahmet's chambers before midnight and rarely slept before dawn.

In a brief moment - when Arthur had woken Merlin up with a bucket of water over the head when he passed out on the prince's floor - Merlin considered he might have spread himself too thin.

Drained of everything and with drooping eyes, Merlin ended up curling on the floor of Arthur's bedroom, in need of a nap and thinking he could sleep quickly whilst Arthur was off training. Why Arthur thought pouring a bucket of cold dirty water over him was a good way to wake him, Merlin had no idea. But I apparently did the trick to get Merlin's heart racing and his body pumped with energy.

"Ah, what? Hmm?" he looked around and up at Arthur who hovered above him, partly amused but mostly annoyed. "Sleeping on the job, are we Merlin?"

Merlin looked around blearily. "What time is it?"

"Time for my lunch, that's what time it is." Arthur sat in his chair and put his feet up. "Honestly. What do you do Merlin apart from slack about?"

"Oh no." Merlin pushed himself off the floor and slipped, falling back into the puddle. He hadn't heard Arthur's insult, only the part before about it being after lunch. "Terrin's going to _kill_ _me_! I was supposed to go over the schedule with him before noon." he tried to get up a second time but his shoes, it seemed, had no grip.

The third time he tried to get up and almost fell, Arthur grabbed him from the back of his collar and dragged him up into a standing position. "Serves as you right. What's the matter with you lately?"

Merlin glared at him. "You honestly want to hear the answer? Your stupid, prattish birthday has the whole castle up in arms whilst you simply get to sit back and enjoy." Merlin paused for thought. "Come to think of it, I could blame all of this on you and you overworking me."

"_Overworking you_?" Arthur spluttered. "You barely lift a finger!"

Merlin wiggled his fingers in front of Arthur's face. "I lift all ten fingers, thank you very much. Ugh! All this arguing is just making me later to see Terrin! He'll whip me, I'm telling you."

"Terrin doesn't have a whip." Though Arthur sounded doubtful.

Merlin rolled his eyes and went to run, but stepped in a soap puddle and slipped again. The only thing that kept his sturdy was Arthur's hand encircling his upper arm and dragging him to his feet. "Good lord, you're wet." He complained as a wet patch blossomed under his arm.

"That generally happens when someone throws water over you." Merlin glared again.

"Go get changed. I'll tell Terrin I needed you for training or something. Finish whatever you've got to do, then go sleep. I can't have you falling asleep through the ceremony tomorrow." Arthur shoved him lightly and kept a look of anger of his face, but Merlin saw right through it.

Merlin looked at him gratefully then rushed out of the chambers. He looked the hallway up and down and spotted no one around. "_Drýge__mé_ _scrypia_." he whispered and with a flash of gold eyes, everything apart from his hair was dry.

He looked at himself, vaguely impressed and rushed down into the kitchens to find Terrin. The old crazy Master of House, wasn't so much _mean_ as he was _crazy_. Outright, he would yell at any given person for a number of things for no apparent reason. The King let him go and no one was quite sure why, though rumour had it that Terrin had once upon a time, been the young Prince Uther's manservant and as Master of House was an official Court position, giving him power Uther had bestowed it upon him.

Merlin shivered at the thought of ever becoming Terrin.

_If Arthur ever gives me the job, I'll turn him into a rat._

"You're late!" the man grumbled, though Merlin didn't think he did anything but.

"Sorry Master Terrin." Merlin bowed then stood back up, having no idea why he had to _bow_ to the old coot. "Arthur had me helping me with training. He can voice for me. What am I learning today?"

Then Merlin sat and listened to _all the guests_ Arthur would be receiving and the list of noblemen's daughters who he was forced to dance with and at what given times. Merlin was supposed learn all of this then relay it to Arthur, though he couldn't fathom why he just wasn't given the list that Terrin had.

By the time he had memorised it to Terrin's approval – which basically meant _backwards_ as well as forwards – Merlin was free to go. Once again, he longed for sleep but it occurred to him, he had the entire afternoon off and could do as he pleased.

Anxious to learn more about magic, he rushed over to Ahmet's chambers and knocked eagerly, bouncing in his work boots. "Ah, Merlin." Ahmet grinned from ear to ear then stepped back. "Please come in."

It was a rarity not to be greeted by one of the girls, but as he walked in his noticed for the first time that they were alone, just the two of them. "Hello." Merlin said, looking around the room curiously as always.

"_Merhaba_. I was not expecting you until later this evening."

Merlin turned around and looked upset. "Oh. I'm sorry. Honestly. I- I can come back later. It's just I had time off and –"

"_Otur_." he offered a chair up and by now, Merlin knew this meant 'sit'.

With a smile, he did as he was told and Ahmet went and sat close to him at the table, pulling out a pair of brightly coloured dice from the strange wooden board that was between them on the table. "Have you ever played this game?" he asked, pointing to the road pieces. Merlin shook his head furiously. "It's called _tavla_."

Ahmet shook the dice in one of his hands and they fell in from of him. Two numbers fell out, three and four. He moved one of the pieces three times around the board, sitting on top of these long thin triangles painted on the wood, then chose the one that had been aside it and moved it four times so that it stood on top. "There are two people in my city, the _Ottoman's_, like me and the _Byzantine's _the others. They rule today, and their Emperor Constantine only gives us minor grief. We have different names, different languages, different religions, different everything. We get along good enough, sometimes, but it is hard for head and heart to rule at the same time." He looked up at Merlin, his eyes sparkling. "There is _one_ thing we have in common though. _Tavla_."

He handed Merlin the dice and after a moment staring at it, he shook the dice and landed six and two. "You are the red pieces, I am the black. Now you must move all your pieces from your side of the board, to my side. _But, _you must also stop me from doing the same. If I have one piece sitting alone, you may steal it. But if two or more pieces are on the triangle, you cannot move there. Easy enough?"

Merlin looked at the board and understood the logic of it. He saw one of Ahmet's pieces had already moved to his side of the board as the man had played alone, and it stood by itself. He counted in his head and moved one far off tile six paces to where he stole Ahmet's piece then another one that had been a closer distance away, to cover the first one and keep it protected. "Kind of like that?"

"Exactly like that." Ahmet smiled.

They spent some of the afternoon playing game after game of _tavla_, and Merlin understood it enough to beat Ahmet a few times. The first time it happened during the third game, Merlin grinned as he won and Ahmet smiled back at him. "You are quite a natural."

"I'm just good at learning things quickly." he blushed.

"I see that." Ahmet narrowed an eye, watching him and studying his every movement. "Tell me, Merlin. What _really_ makes you stay in Camelot?"

Merlin thought of what the dragon preached to him. His destiny and whatnot. But he was still dubious about a talking dragon trapped beneath a castle who _claimed_ he was all powerful when he can't break free of his own cuffs.

But that wasn't it. He'd now known about his destiny for a fortnight.

Then he thought of Gaius and Gwen and Elyan and Morgana and Leon. They had become his family. Maybe they weren't blood related but Merlin was quite attached to them and would be unhappy to leave them.

But at the same time, he grew restless sometimes knowing they would never know or understand what he was going through with magic. The constant hiding away and the fear and pain of being so different kept him up at night. The fear of being caught and executed had more than once broke through into his nightmares. _And now I'm practicing **real** magic and **not** just making things twirl and spin around my room or putting puppies to sleep._

His last thought was Arthur and his job. He _knew_ he wasn't staying for his job but Arthur… Without knowing about the whole stupid destiny thing, Arthur was his friend. Sort of. The prince had admitted it _once_ but refused to acknowledge it again. In his own weird way he did like Merlin and Merlin returned the feelings.

Often they bickered like brothers or had outright wars, throwing things of all shapes and sizes at the other. He had, had a brotherly relationship with Will, but apart from their harmless name-calling they had never fought.

Sometimes Arthur and Merlin had full blown screaming matches that guards had interrupted and he had been thrown into the stocks for. It had happened only occasionally when the forthcoming Merlin had completed disagreed with something Arthur did or said. Like when he'd found out Arthur had screamed at one of the other serving girls for being late with his bath water, not knowing the woman was pregnant at the time. (really, how could he _not know that_? She was bigger than the bath itself!)

So maybe he didn't stay for Arthur either. _Then why haven't I left?_

"I don't want to be alone." he said finally, only realising it himself for the first time. He enjoyed Camelot, maybe even more so than Ealdor because for the first time in his life, he didn't crave company. Occasionally he craved peace and quiet and the safety of his own mind, but he was never without friends.

Ahmet leant forward and took Merlin's hand. "What if I said, you didn't have to be alone? That if you left with us, you would never have to be alone again _and_ you could learn and practice magic without living in fear of death?"

The thought sent happy little flips in Merlin's stomach. The idea of being able to practice magic freely with people just like him. Travel and see all of Albion and all of the world. "I- I'd like that. I'd like that very much." But his heart tugged at him and images of his new friends filtered through his mind. Then an image of Will and how disappointed he would be if Merlin went on adventures without him. "But I couldn't." he admitted. "I mean, I have friends here."

"Do you really, now?" Ahmet questioned. "Do these friends know about you and your magic? Do they condone such things?"

Merlin frowned. "No, but -"

"And do you not tell them because you are afraid they'll judge you, or afraid they'll turn you in to Uther?"

Merlin's heart sped up slightly as he thought of how in each of his dreams about being executed they all just stare at him with matching looks of fury. "I… don't know."

Ahmet's lightly cupped Merlin's cheek, staring at him with large brown eyes and a large smiled. One of his teeth had a crack in them. Merlin had never noticed before, because he had never paid that close of attention but now he saw it, split perfectly down his front tooth and marred with a black line. "You are too young to be living in such fear, Merlin. Too young to be lugging such responsibilities as manservant to a prince who works you too hard. You do not deserve such a life, especially when you are more powerful than all of them and have them bowing at your feet."

The obsidian stone around his neck started throbbing again and Merlin caught the necklace in his hand, pulling away from Ahmet and trying to calm the rock. His fingers unconsciously wrapped around the dragon that reminded him very much of the Pendragon symbol. He thought it had been Arthur's strange way of making him apart of Camelot and now the small charm reminded Merlin of the prince. "I don't want them bowing at my feet." he whispered. "I don't want to use magic against anyone."

Ahmet kept his eyes guarded. "I never said you should. I am simply stating you could have them all at your mercy."

"But why would anyone want to do that?" he asked, standing up and a little confused. "I don't want anyone to be under my control? I'm not a monster."

Putting his hand up in surrender Ahmet said, "Calm down Merlin."

He backed away from the table and towards the door. "I need to go."

"Lütfen, do not let this make you change your opinion of me." Ahmet said begging him. "I did not mean to upset you. Merely stating a small fact on how powerful you are."

The throbbing around Merlin's neck stopped and he calmed a little, though his heart rate wouldn't slow. "I know… I just… I need to get Arthur's dinner." He went to the door and rushed out of the room, then leant back against the wood, wondering why his heart was racing so fast.

As he closed his eye he saw Camelot bending at his feet, being forced to their knees. He saw Arthur being pushed down a guard with eyes golden with magic. Only this Arthur was older, more hardened. "You betrayed us." Arthur growled.

Merlin's eyes flew open and he shook his head clear, running off to the kitchens to collect Arthur's dinner. Only when he got there Mary frowned at him. "Arthur already sent down a servant to get his dinner. Said you were having the evening off."

He did have the evening off, but Merlin couldn't be alone. He rushed back to his room, grabbed some things then left a letter to Gaius said he wouldn't be back that night.

* * *

As some nameless servant delivered Arthur's food he thanked them for it and then started reading some document his father wanted him to memories. Merlin thought he was the only thing with things to memorise for the next day, but his father had been giving him papers and court documents and royal seals he had to know.

He just hadn't told Merlin about it because the temptation to get him do it all for him would be so much stronger if he was asking about it all the time.

The door flung open and he jumped in surprise at the sound and then saw Merlin standing there with blankets in his hands and a pillow. "Have you heard of knocking?" Arthur demanded.

Merlin looked around the room and at the servant who still stood in the corner, waiting for Arthur to finish eating. "You can go, if you want, George. I got it from here."

George looked at Arthur who was frowning then back at Merlin who held the door open. "You are dismissed… George." he added the name lamely, feeling a little guilty he didn't know it from before. He'd seen this serving boy, a few years older than Merlin, hundreds of times around the castle.

After bowing, George left the room and Arthur briefly put down his papers to look at Merlin. "Didn't I say to sleep?"

"Well yes but… It's your birthday tomorrow." Merlin said simply, sitting across from him and draping his things over his knees. "And I'm not here for work."

Arthur's brow furrowed. "I don't get it?"

Merlin shifted in is chair and then said, "It's your _birthday_. Every time it's me or Will's birthday we stay at each other's houses until midnight so we can open our presents. Haven't you ever done that?"

With a small shake of his head, Arthur confessed, "Never had anyone to do that with. Not really."

"Well… now you do." Merlin beamed and Arthur couldn't help but smile back.

Arthur looked down at his plate then at Merlin. "Have you eaten?"

After looking down at the plate, Merlin bit his lip and grinned. "Please?"

With a laugh, Arthur pushed the food into the middle of the table and they leant forward, talking about everything that came to mind. Arthur wished he'd had this growing up sometimes. Wished that maybe he had a little brother or sister. Morgana didn't count. She had only come along three years ago and enjoyed tormenting him more than anything else.

When it was close to midnight, he realised that he hadn't learnt a single word about the nobles his father gave him and groaned. "My father is going to kill me."

Merlin reached out and snatched the paper, chewing on a piece of bread at the same time. He looked the list over then said with a full mouth. "I can help you. I've been doing this for the last three weeks." Merlin yawned as he spoke though.

"So you know this entire thing?"

Merlin nodded.

"Then I don't have to learn it?"

With a shrug, Merlin said, "Alright. My gift to you. I will store all the names up here in my head and give it to you tomorrow."

He reached over and grabbed Arthur's wine and went to drink it when Arthur grabbed it back. "You're still ten." Arthur explained.

"Prat."

"Idiot."

Merlin darted his hand out and drank the wine anyway. As Arthur glared at him Merlin made a face. "Ugh! People actually drink that?"

"Yeah, apparently." Arthur rolled his eyes. "I sip it really slow."

"You don't even like it?"

"Trust me. I like it a whole lot more than I did when I was your age. I think when they say wine get's better with age, they mean your age. Ale on the other hand… That I like."

Merlin drew his knees up to his chin and wrapped his arms around his legs, looking curiously across the table. "Can I ask you, something? And… and you can't judge me. Nor can you tease me. You definitely can't tease me, Arthur."

Even before Merlin spoke, Arthur laughed. He calmed himself when Merlin glared at him and nodded. "Alright, alright, what is it?"

He opened his mouth to speak then pressed his mouth to his knees, not saying a word. When Arthur was about to insist he speak, Merlin did, almost anticipating his master's words. "What's it like to be a prince? To have everyone bowing at your feet and doing whatever you say and hanging off your every word?"

Arthur shivered. "Why do you ask?"

Merlin frowned and swallowed. "I sometimes imagine it would be painful."

Biting his lip, Arthur wondered what to say. "It's not painful. It's… It's lonely." he said quietly, looking into the flames. "A lot of the time you think you have friends but they're not your friends. They just want to be in the good books of the future king. Then there's the responsibility and all the lessons you have to learn and… and mostly, they're not good lessons." Arthur shook his head, ignoring all the grief. "That's what's painful. The things you need to learn to be good for your people."

He looked up at Merlin and pulled his ears back indignantly when he saw Merlin was fast asleep, head resting against his knees and arms around his legs. "That's right. I open my heart and soul to you and you fall asleep." He couldn't even be angry with him.

He set up the pillow Merlin had brought behind his head and threw the covers over him on the chair. After looking out to the sky he realised it was after midnight. He was sixteen and by the next nightfall, he would be a knight of Camelot.

Merlin shifted in his sleep and from his jacket fell a small badly wrapped parcel with a heavy thud. He looked at it then up at Merlin and, not really caring what his manservant thought, ripped the thing open. Scrawled on the parchment in Merlin's neat print were the words, '_Happy Birthday Arthu_r'. He smiled fondly and wondered when the last time he'd gotten anything written to him. Most people presented his gifts in some elaborate form.

He flipped the car over and frowned. '_Arto-__rīg. Bear-King'_. When he looked into the actual parcel he saw a small figurine of a bear about the size of his thumb. It had no use, wasn't extremely elaborate or even all that pretty. It was probably the best present he had ever gotten though. "Thanks Merlin." he would _never_ thank him again whilst he was awake.

Arthur extinguished the flames and went and to bed, putting the bear on his bedside and looking at it as he laid down on bed. He smirked a little and closed his eyes.

* * *

**A/N: **So Ahmet is a little more dangerous than you thought... Or a lot more dangerous... REVIEW THANKS!

_Translations:_

_Lütfen – Please_

_Merhaba – Hello_

_Otur – Sit_

_Tavla - Backgammon_


	18. A Trial of Magic

**A/N: **'Lo everyone. Must get this out quickly as I'm at uni and about to get told off by my crazy assed assignment partner who _really_ needs a breath mint. I did the assignment by myself and _now_ two nights before they've decided to contribute to the assignment... Stay in High School kids.

**A maze thing, **well for now, yes Merlin is the only magical being that's truly good. Nope, you're definitely psychic. I've decided it. You can be a good magical being though - I hope... Yep. The fluff was a sort of 'let's be nice now before the end of this chapter' and Arnold's a dick. (excuse my french). I almost called him Sir Richard... But I thought it would be obvious then. **Windy Silvermist, **your instincts might possibly be correct. It was what they used to do, but he used it as an excuse to not be alone... Column A and B situation. It's what me and my friends have done since we were four... We're 20 now... We have yet to miss a birthday. **High Serpent King,** It's not the prospect of power he's tempted by... that vision might not be what you think it was... wink-wink, nudge-nudge. It's more the prospect of being free. He has yet to experience true freedom with his magic. **bubzchoc,** thanks! **Curly Wurly Me, **lol... because I knew it wasn't Gaius hissing, it didn't register to me as funny until I read what you wrote then cracked up myself. Thanks for reviewing both chaps. :) **IndiaMoore, **nothing... YET.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Merlin I wouldn't be freaking out about the fact I have no idea what's going to happen in Arthur's Bane Part II...

* * *

**A Trial of Magic**

There was much bustle in the Prince's chambers that morning, with Uther coming in at the break of dawn to wish his son a happy birthday. Merlin leapt out of the chair at the sound of the banging door and fell to the ground. Uther spared him a single look of contempt. "What are you doing here?"

Merlin stifled his yawn and said, "Fell asleep. Arthur and I were talking. He mustn't have woken me." When Uther glared at him Merlin quickly said, "Prince Arthur and I were talking." He repeated himself.

Uther didn't spare him another thought and turned to his son, saying happy birthday then telling him exactly what was to be the proceedings of the day. Arthur was half sitting up in his bed, staring at his father groggily and not paying much attention but counting on the fact Merlin was.

Before the King could finish all of his speech there was a knock on the door and a servant entered. "Milord. Prince Arthur." he bowed. "There is a man who urgently wishes to speak with you. He is waiting in the council chambers."

Uther looked annoyed but then waved his hand in dismissal. "We can continue this later. Arthur, happy birthday. Marvin," Uther turned his fierce gaze to Merlin and narrowed his eyes. "Make sure Arthur is ready and isn't late for tonight and ensure he doesn't get into trouble. Or it'll be your head." With that Uther left, leaving Arthur and Merlin staring at each other.

"Yeah Marvin. Make sure I'm not late." Arthur teased.

"Shut up."

Arthur lobbed a pillow at Merlin and he threw one back, soon erupting in a full out war. Merlin did spot his gift to Arthur next to his bed and grinned, teasing him. "You like it!"

"Only because it's the only present I've received thus far. I'm sure once I get all the rest it will move down the list of top presents."

Merlin snorted. "Sure."

Arthur looked Merlin's ruffled clothes up and down. "You know, it's my birthday and you're going to have to be at all the ceremonial things. You should probably look better than that."

Merlin looked down at himself then back up at Arthur. "What's wrong with me?" he asked, but Arthur saw the teasing look in his eyes and threw another pillow. "Alright, _alright_. I'll go get changed and then come back up with your breakfast."

"Good." Arthur grinned. "And get extra, okay? I shared dinner with some hopeless idiot last night and now I'm starving."

Merlin hesitated then grinned. "Would you be willing to share your breakfast again with him this morning?"

Arthur snorted. "In your dreams."

After laughing, Merlin ducked off, taking his blanket and pillow with him. Before he made it to the end of the hall however, he remembered something and rushed back into Arthur's room. "Oh and Happy Birthday prat." Another pillow flew in his direction, just missing his head as he pulled it away.

Merlin skidded out of the room and bolted to the physician's chambers, in a hurry. He had no doubt Arthur would give him food. He always did.

Merlin burst into the physicians chambers and was about to shout greeting to Gaius when he saw King Uther, Sir Arnold and a man Merlin recognised from the lower town all gathered around Gaius with looks of equal concern. At his entry, they all looked up and glared at him and took in his ruffled appearance. Uther frowned. "Didn't I just tell you to get Arthur ready?"

"I did." he lied. "He's eating breakfast and told me to change. I'm still wearing my clothes from yesterday." _Lie, lie lie…_ But this was worth it.

"Go. Change. Leave us." Uther signalled to him that he should be going to his chambers and Merlin nodded, swiftly bowing to the king then rushing to his chambers.

Behind him, he closed the door but instead of going to change, he leant on the wood quietly and peered through the cracks to see. Fred flew to him and landed on his shoulder, lightly flapping his wings against Merlin's cheek. "Harvey, tell Gaius what you told Sir Arnold." Uther spoke sternly.

The man, Harvey, twisted his hands together nervously then said, "It ain't like anything I've seen before. One minute, the little girl was dying. You said so yourself Gaius. Said she was not gonna make it to the Prince's birthday. But now she be running around with my little one. She looks healthier than any of the other kids. Don't even look like she was sick two days ago, let alone dying."

"Peculiar." Gaius said. "This is Mary and Gregory's daughter, yes?"

When Harvey nodded Uther said, "What do you make of this, Gaius? Is she a witch?"

"She was too weak to cast such a spell on herself. Too young as well." Gaius said. "Without further investigation I cannot deem this a miracle or sorcery."

"What of the parents?" Arnold asked. "Could they have cast such a healing spell?" Merlin wanted to reply in the negative. He knew Mary and Gregory and their daughter Hannah, who was only a few years old. Mary always let him and Gwen in to share their food during festivities and Gregory worked in the stables and was the one who taught Merlin how to keep Arthur's horses.

Merlin, who knew Gaius well enough, knew the old man's face was most likely scrunched in anger. "As I said, Sir Arnold. I cannot deem magic was used until I investigate myself."

Uther looked furious - though when doesn't he? "Arnold take a patrol. I want the home searched for traces of magic." With a swift bow, Arnold left and went to collect the men.

"Sire, I can do such a search myself." Gaius interrupted.

"We must thorough, Gaius. We must not let this go unpunished."

Gaius dutifully bowed. "Of course sire."

Uther handed Harvey a large sum of gold. "For your troubles."

Harvey smiled and thanked the king for his generosity before being dismissed and hurrying on his way. "Sire, I don't believe you've considered this. Maybe the child has simply been cured. I helped deliver Mary. I do not believe she had an evil or misgiving bone within her."

"Gaius, did you not say this girl was terminal?"

"Yes, but -"

"Gaius, how many times have you been wrong?"

"It is a rarity sire, but it has happened."

"But to this degree? Gaius, you heard the man. She was up and running. Even if she was cured, do you believe in such a quick recovery?"

Through the slivers of wood, Merlin heard Gaius's sigh as though it was next to his ear. "No sire. I do not."

Uther rested his hand on Gaius's shoulder. "I know you have a tendency to believe in the good in people, but if they have been using magic, even to cure their daughter, then the law is the law." Uther left Gaius alone in his chambers and Merlin burst through, in absolute shock. Fred fluttered around him and went back into his chambers to retreat from the fury.

"Gaius? Does he mean it? Will he simply kill Mary and Gregory for saving their daughter?"

Gaius glared at him. "You weren't meant to be listening."

Merlin glared right back. "If they used magic, Uther will have them killed!"

"There is nothing I can do. If I argue too much, I could end up incriminating them more." he hissed.

"What if it was me?" Merlin demanded. "Would you do something then?"

Gaius frowned, his face melting into one of perfect calm, but underneath it burnt quiet anger. "Merlin. You must stay out of this. Your mother didn't send you here to be killed by the hands of the law."

"Then why am I here?" he shouted. He started making his way to the door, angrily storming over when Gaius cut him off.

"Merlin, I expressly forbid you to involve yourself!"

Angrily, Merlin turned around and yelled, "You're not my father to tell me what to do!" Before Gaius could reply, Merlin rushed out of Gaius's chambers and down the stairs.

He was counting on the fact he knew the secret passages in the castle and Arnold would need time to gather the men as he pelted out through the courtyard and down into the lower town. It was an absolute miracle he didn't fall, making his way through the cobbled streets and through the stalls. "Merlin?" he didn't even turn around when Gwen called him, but soon heard her footsteps fall beside him.

At Mary and Gregory's house he flooded in relief because the guards had yet to arrive. "Gwen, go away." Merlin said fiercely, slamming on the door at the same time.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

He finally turned and glared at her. "Go away. Keep safe. I don't want you to get into trouble."

Gwen opened her mouth but her protests were turned into a squawk as Gregory opened the door. "Merlin? Gwen? What are you doing here?"

Merlin had no time. He rushed in and started looking around. Mary paused over her stove and Hannah looked up from her dolly. "Merlin. Gwen." Gwen had come inside too and was standing behind Gregory and in front of the now closed door.

"You need to get out of here." Merlin hissed. "Now. Get your things and leave Camelot"

"Why, son?" Gregory asked, resting his hand on Merlin's shoulder.

Merlin quickly shook it off, glaring at them urgently. "Uther has sent guards to search your home for traces of magic. I know you've used it to heal Hannah. Now he is coming to kill you for it." Gwen gasped, clasping her face and Mary dropped her spoon into the bowl.

There was a cry from outside and Gregory turned his head to the door, shoved Gwen further inside and peered outside, opening the wood just a crack. "The guards." he whispered, slamming the door. "They're coming."

Merlin panicked and looked around. There was one window and a closet. The only other exit was the front door. He looked at Gwen, noticing her presence inside the house. "I told you to leave! If they see you here..."

"If they see either of you here." Gregory hissed, lifting Hannah from the chair and pushing Merlin and Gwen towards the closet. "If the king finds you here and suspects you've tipped us off you will be killed alongside of us. You two work in the castle. It is too dangerous for you."

Mary squeaked. "No... I... I did not mean this." She had been silently panicking. "I didn't mean for this to happen..." she hit the table and fell to the floor.

"Mummy?" Hannah whimpered.

Merlin looked back but Gregory pushed open the door and shoved Merlin and Gwen inside then rested Hannah between them. "Be quiet. Merlin, take care of the girls. If something should happen to us, my sister lives in a village south east of the castle. It's called Iresa. Find Vanessa."

"But..."

"Keep Hannah and Gwen safe." They were the last words Merlin heard from him before he slammed the doors shut and locked the door shut. Gwen gasped beside him as they were plunged into darkness, with only a shard of light falling between them. Hannah squeaked, just like her mother. She wrapped her arms around Merlin's neck and buried her face in his shoulder. He dragged Gwen closer and the three huddled in the cupboard.

They tried not to jump as the door to the home slammed open and Merlin felt Hannah's tears flood down his neck and into his already soaked shirt. He couldn't help the tears brimming. He had the perfect view of the home and saw Sir Arnold storm through the place. "You have been suspected of using magic. By order of the king, we have the rights to..." But the rest was drowned out by Mary's hysterical screams and Gregory's shouts to get out of his house. "You cannot do this! You have no right!"

"Where is your daughter?" Arnold demanded.

"She left. Went to play with her friends!" Gregory shouted.

One of the knights along with the search approached the closet. The door rattled as a hand clasped over the handle and tried to open the door. Gwen shook in fear as the light over them disappeared and an eye found it's way into the crack, peering through. Merlin held his breath and shifted Gwen's arm behind him, ready to throw Hannah behind him and attack.

They eye, bright green, paused and blinked once but nothing ever came over it. A second later they all heard another knight call out. "Sir Arnold!" The shadow disappeared, the light burning Merlin's eyes for a moment.

The knight was gone and the new knight who had called for Arnold was out of Merlin's line of sight. When he did show up back in the doorway light, Merlin saw he carried a linen bag. A poultice that emanated magic.

"We found this." The younger knight held the bag out to Arnold who inspected it then looked to the other knights. "Arrest them. And someone go out and search for the girl. She can't be too far." he turned to Mary who was sobbing as she was dragged to her feet. "She only just recovered, after all."

Merlin felt brutal ice cold anger flare up inside of him but Gwen gripping his arm and Hannah holding onto him kept him from jumping out of the closet and attacking them all with magic. Hannah whimpered into his shoulder and he muffled her cries as best as he could.

It took another ten minutes for all the knights to leave. Merlin couldn't tell one from another, couldn't tell who had let them escape. There was no one left and the closet door was locked from the outside. "Merlin, how do we get out?" Gwen whispered frantically.

Merlin stroked Hannah's back and said. "Take her from me and both of you, get in the corner."

Gwen nodded frantically and followed what Merlin said. He licked his lips nervously and drew himself to the back of the closet and lifted his feet up. With one loud cry, Merlin slammed his feet against the doors and only received a jarring pain in his knees for the effort. "Merlin!" Gwen cried.

He grunted and ignored them. "Block your ears. Close your eyes." He said, gritting his teeth.

Gwen hesitated but after glances at his face agreed. Hannah followed instruction too and Merlin turned back to the door and tried again. He backed up and this time concentrated on the wood and the spell he'd learnt the night before. "_Wágþeorl!_" he said as he slammed his feet once more against the wood. This time, his eyes flashed gold and the wood split in half, creating a large enough gap that Merlin could shove his hand through.

Gwen opened her eyes at the sound of the wood breaking and looked up just in time to see Merlin reaching out and unlocking the door through the crack he'd made. He let the doors swing open and climbed out, helping Gwen and Hannah out too.

"What are we going to do?" Gwen asked, taking hold of Hannah's hand to bring her closer then lifting her up.

"We are doing nothing." he said sternly. Merlin looked around and found a cloak belonging to Gregory. He wrapped it around himself and then opened his arms open and Gwen passed the girl over. "I'll hide her under the cloak. I'll get out of here and take her back up to the castle. She can stay in my chambers."

"But if she's spotted... Isn't it better if she stay's with me?"

"No doubt Uther will have the whole of the lower town searched for her. Anyway, I'm only going up to collect a map." Merlin said, pulling her up again. "If you're caught it'll be you, Elyan and your father on the pyre. I can live if it's just me."

"Merlin..." Gwen whimpered.

"Go home, Gwen." Merlin said seriously, tugging Hannah closer. "You didn't see me. Or Hannah. You weren't here. Right?"

She nodded and backed off from the house, bolting out the door when she could take it no more. Merlin waited in silence to ensure she would be clear of the home in time, only Hannah's tears suggesting any measure of time as they faded into tired sniffles.

* * *

Arthur wasn't totally surprised when his father summoned him to the main hall, two hours after Merlin had decided to go missing. He was in a good mood though and just assumed Terrin had trapped him in some sort of crazy scheme to tattoo all the nobles names on his arm so shook the feeling of unease away and sent for another servant to get his food.

_Your bad luck, Merlin. I was going to share it with you._

If his own nervous jitters about the event weren't bad enough, his father's constant berating and domineering attitude that all must go well put him even more on edge. _He probably wants to have a practice run or something... Like I haven't seen enough of these events in my life to know what is about to happen._

Honestly, Arthur thought the entertainers and festivities were too much but his father reasoned they were for the foreign members of Court and Council and guests and dignitaries to enjoy. He hadn't wanted such a large party to begin with.

On one hand, he really just wanted to be treated like one of the knights. On the other, his father rarely showed such dedication to him, or jovial interest. It made Arthur happy.

So to keep that happiness inside of him, he made his way to the hall and opened the doors, pausing briefly as he noted not only was the whole court there, but many of the more important guests. There was even a gruff looking man with six very beautiful women standing around him, watching the scene carefully from behind narrowed eyes.

He peered over the crowd and saw Morgana sitting in her chair, he feet dangling slightly but that fact hidden by the length of her dress. Gwen was nowhere to be seen, Helena by his stepsisters side.

Arthur looked over to his father who beckoned him forward and Arthur sat beside him, wondering if he should have worn his crown for the occasion. "Bring the prisoners in." Uther said and Arthur looked to Morgana who just shrugged, equally as confused as he was.

_Where's Merlin when you need him?_ His manservant seemed to always know the latest gossips of the castle.

From behind the doors, four guards marched in, supporting two bodies between them. Morgana gaped, having recognised them and Arthur knew of the man as he'd once instructed him to teach Merlin how to care for the horses. _Geoffrey or something of the sort... _He worked in the stables and was darn good at his job from what he knew about him.

"Please!" the woman shrieked. "Please! My baby! My baby girl!"

"Silence!" Uther's voice boomed into the audience and even the quiet whisperers hushed. "Sir Arnold, what have you found?" Arthur grimaced as Sir Arnold approached the king, holding a poultice. He looked at Arthur and glared for a second longer than necessary then turned back to the king, looking passive.

The young prince now knew there was only one way this entire thing could go and the shattered look on Morgana's face told him she knew too. "Gaius? Inspect the ingredients of this. They are magical, correct?"

It only took the old man a few seconds to look over the poultice before he nodded and agreed. "Yes sire." he replied forlornly.

"No!" Mary wailed. "No, sire. You must understand... You need to know..."

"Enough! For the use and practice of magic, I sentence you to death. Come morning, you shall both be executed..." Uther was about to continue his condemnation when, to Arthur's and the entire court's surprise, one of the beautiful women he had spotted earlier stepped forward.

"Aliyah!" the man with them hissed.

"Me." she said, putting her hand up. "Me. I magic."

Mary looked up and Gregory started shaking his head. "They no know. I magic. Little girl. Dying. I save."

Uther frowned and looked at one of his advisors. "What is this woman saying?"

The woman, Aliyah, walked over to the guards and held her hands out to be cuffed. "Me. Alone. They no know. I save little girl. I use magic." she repeated. "They no die. I die." she looked to Uther, eyes shining bright with defiance.

"Are you saying you planted the poultice? You healed the little girl?" Uther demanded.

Arthur looked to the woman and the faces of the parents and even he knew it wasn't the truth. It seemed though that his father was either too blinded by his hatred of magic or didn't care. His sole focus was on the woman and her confession.

"Yes. They know nothing. I feel sorry for family. I help. I use magic."

"Magic is forbidden in this kingdom." he said dangerously.

Aliyah shrugged, the bracelets on her wrists jangling. "Stupid law."

The red-faced Uther glared and turned to his guards. "Seize her! The sorceress and the family will be executed at dawn." Aliyah was tackled by the guards, hoisted up in chains then yanked through the court, causing the other five women and the man of her party to look on distressed. "Let this serve as a lesson to all guests from foreign lands. Your laws may be different but we will not tolerate your customs in my kingdom. Magic in Camelot is banned. That is final. Now someone find the girl!"

Court was dismissed with those words and Arthur watched as the man stormed through the crowd to get to the doors. He looked at Gregory and Mary who were trying to grab each other, screaming and felt nothing but horror as they were dragged away.

Arthur got out of his council seat and went to go to Morgana when his arm was grabbed. He looked and saw the guards yanking Gregory away, his grip from Arthur being yanked away. "Please. Have mercy. For my daughter, have mercy." Gregory shouted. With a small frown, Arthur backed away from the man, then finally got to his stepsister. "Are you alright?" he asked her quietly.

"I know them. I know Hannah and I know how devastated they were when she was found to be ill." Morgana said quietly. She looked up at Arthur, her pale green eyes piercing his whole being. "She just saved their daughters life and brought them a lifetime of happiness. How is that a crime?"

Arthur couldn't answer that question. He had too many of his own spinning around his head and for some reason he knew who could help him clear them up.

* * *

Sneaking back to the castle was easier than Merlin expected. Amongst the acrobats and the entertainers that were practicing in the courtyard, Merlin didn't look too strange until he entered the castle, but from there he went straight up to his own chambers and listened outside of the door before entering.

Gaius wasn't there, most probably in Uther's court examining the evidence. He deposited Hannah down on the sick bed, and pulled the cloak off, wrapping it around her shoulders for warmth. "Can you wait here?" he asked gently.

Hannah sucked her small thumb and nodded, trying not to cry as Merlin looked around the place for a parchment and a quill. He sat down and started to write a note, explaining to Gaius where he went. He was going to take Hannah straight to this village where her aunt lived and then return to break Mary and Gregory out and send them to the village too. Or at least, that had been the plan.

He had just finished writing his letter to Gaius when the door to the chambers opened and in strolled Arthur. "Merlin!" he called out and the first thing his eyes landed on was Hannah.

Merlin froze then pushed back, blocking Hannah from view. "This isn't what you think."

"Is that the little girl?" Arthur demanded. "Is she the one who was healed?"

Merlin shook his head. "I won't let you take her."

Arthur's eyes widened as he saw Merlin was still in his clothes from the morning, looking even more dishevelled than he had then and saw the tears that had streaked down the girl's face, dampen his neckerchief and collar. "You heard about the raid and headed them off, didn't you? You rescued her!"

Shaking in fury, Merlin said, "She's just a child."

"A child who was almost condemned for practicing magic! The entire kingdom is looking for her!" Arthur shouted frantically. "Merlin, you have no idea what will happen if you're caught!"

"What does it matter, what happens to me? Your father will kill her! I'm saving her!"

Arthur jolted back like he'd been hit. Then his face crumpled in anger. "What you speak is treason. Be careful what you say."

"Mary and Gregory are about as guilty as any other parent who goes to the ends of the earth to protect their child." Merlin snapped. "I am going to save them, even if it means my own death."

"I won't allow you to!"

"You can't stop me! Mary is no sorceress! She was just trying to save her child."

"They employed someone with magic, Merlin!"

He opened his mouth to shout, "So did you!" but he choked on the words to silence himself and ended up having a coughing fit. Hannah started crying at their shouts. Merlin groaned and turned to Hannah, about to grab her when Arthur's sword slid under his throat.

Merlin's breath hitched and he turned his neck to face Arthur warily. "Step away from the child, Merlin."

"What are you going to do?" Merlin asked quietly. "Kill me for comforting a child suspected of magic?"

Arthur choked on his own words, almost confessing his past sins. "You can't sympathise with magic." Arthur choked on his words, tears threatening to fall at the feeling of betrayal.

A hurt expression crossed Merlin's features and he stepped back, away from Hannah. The little girl increased her wailing, deafening both of them. "Fine. But kill her now." Merlin said furiously. When Arthur faltered, his sword dropping, Merlin nudged him forward. "Do it. She's going to be killed anyway. Just do it now. You might as well not be a coward and do it by your own hand."

Arthur froze, looking between Merlin and Hannah. His hand started shaking. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you know it's wrong." Merlin said gently, reaching out and helping Arthur give up his sword. "She's just a little girl. She's not evil." The sword was put down and Arthur stumbled back as Merlin picked her up and tucked her under his chin, struggling with her weight and his own slight frame. "If you're caught..." Arthur started.

And Merlin understood. Arthur didn't care for the girl as much as he cared for Merlin, just like he had cared more for Gwen's safety than receiving her help. "I'll be fine." Merlin said. "Just pretend you saw nothing. Say you saw nothing." Merlin went to leave to get Hannah out of the castle but paused. "I won't be at your ceremony. You'll have to get ready yourself."

Arthur looked dazed and nodded. "Yes. Of course. Just... Whatever you do, don't get caught."

Merlin grinned. "Trust me." Merlin left without another word, not knowing that once again, Arthur's beliefs on his father and magic were once again being tested.

* * *

As Merlin wasn't around, and Arthur seemed to trust no one else, he was left with dressing himself for his ceremony, all the while shaking as flashes of the girl in Merlin's arms dying by his sword replayed through his mind.

He stared at himself blankly in the mirror and wondered if he would resort to means such as magic if his child was in danger... If it was Morgana or his father or... Or even Merlin.

He shuddered at the thought and turned harshly away from the mirror. His father had proven magic was evil, time and time again. Magic killed his mother; a few years previous, magic and killed the crops and left half the kingdom hungry for the winter; magic was the source of all his greatest pains. Arthur knew this well.

But he couldn't bring himself to kill a child again and Merlin had confronted him with that.

When he was finally ready, dressed and with a crown on his head, Arthur knew it was time to head down to the hall. He knew he was going to be knighted, knew that he was about to swear an oath binding him to honour, respect and nobility. A solemn oath to obey the king and uphold the laws of Camelot.

But how could Arthur obey the laws when at the moment, he was so against them?

He thought about Merlin again. About who his father had been.

_Maybe Arnold was right… What if… What if magic is in his blood?_

* * *

Merlin had never ridden out to anywhere on his own, but was fairly good with maps and knew he couldn't show fear in front of Hannah. He held her in front of him, clutching her to his chest and trying to get to the small village of Iresa, a two-hour journey away.

He spent much of the ride, gently hushing Hannah's whimpers, stroking her hair and trying to sing to her, but it wasn't until they approached the village and the girl saw her aunt, did she silence.

Once Merlin explained briefly what had happened, Vanessa thanked him gratefully and scooped up Hannah in her hold, kissing the girl's forehead. "You are safe here, to stay the night." Vanessa told him.

Merlin shook his head. "I must return to Camelot. But thank you."

The ride home allowed Merlin to be alone with his thoughts. He thought of what Arthur had yelled, about magic being evil. He thought of the raised sword and somehow knew Arthur wouldn't hurt him or allow harm to befall him. Somehow, Merlin had become quite important to the prince, though how was a mystery to everyone.

But how would the young prince react if he knew Merlin's secrets? The sword swivelling up to his throat kept replaying in Merlin's mind. _Would he really try and kill me? Would he send me to be executed? Would he do it himself?_

The idea of Arthur's cold steely blade ripping through his throat, rather than burning alive brought Merlin no comfort.

_You are quite small for one with a destiny so great._

It had been what the dragon said. A destiny so great, that it united warring lands and made magic legal once more? He looked to the skyline where Camelot bravely stood and wondered how it could be true. How could he convince Arthur of such a great destiny?

_The dragon must be wrong._ Merlin thought angrily. _Damn stupid lizard. Must have hassled the wrong person, in the wrong kingdom. Probably because he's stuck here in Camelot and had nothing better to do. Stupid destiny..._

He tore back into Camelot and looked up to the sky, wincing. Arthur was being knighted as he rode into the citadel. He missed it, or was in the process of missing it.

_You can still make the feast._

_What about Mary and Gregory?_

_Later... Get changed. You need to be at that feast._

He couldn't explain it, but Merlin quite quickly agreed with himself and his instincts and, after taking the horse to the stables, ran up to his chambers to get out of his clothes as he had originally intended to that morning.

* * *

If you could take 5 seconds to review, I'd be much appreciative.


	19. The Fiddler of Istanbul

**A/N: **I think this has been the longest I've taken between updates... Which I can explain because I am still a university student and did have exams... Actually, I'm still in exams, but I wrote this last week and only looked it over this morning. Not that you all care about this... You just want the next chapter.

**Fangirlishness.101, **thank you so much. That was a cheery review. Hope you enjoy the rest. **A maze thing**, hehehe... There is a reason why he needs to be at the feast... Read on. **FlubberRocks, **so I like the fact that you've reviewed the first three chapters, but what happened after that?! Unless, you decided you hated chapter 4... Thanks anyway! **Ananda, **there is this fic I like but it's a one-shot called **Of Honey and Lizards** by **Kat Nightfox**... I was kind of consumed with my own entire storyline but wanted to keep true to the TV series at the same time. **bubzchoc**, Thanks! :) **spinnerofdark, **lol. I didn't want to complicate it more by making her a biatch... **High Serpent King,** their not foreign dignitaries... Ughhh... I can't explained with ruining it for you. So if you wish to know who they are, reply and I'll PM you. **IndiaMoore,** I hope so too... :) **jayley,** thus all the light heartedness earlier...**  
**

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Merlin then I would have watched Arthur's Bane Part II by now, instead of forgetting to freaking record it and now hunting for it online...

* * *

**The Fiddler of Istanbul**

For the first time in Arthur's life the council and the lords and ladies of Camelot had all fallen into complete silence as they watched Uther withdraw his sword and place it in front of his son. There was a glint in his eyes, Arthur had never seen before. _Anger? Betrayal? Distrust?_ Arthur couldn't pin it. It was familiar but at the same time, unrecognisable.

The prince was kneeling down in a vulnerable position, unsure of this would should his father turn and behead him instead of knight him. He wouldn't be surprised. He could almost hear his father's accusations of aiding a sorcerer. Or were those just echoes of another court session, haunting the halls like they were the gallows?

_Snap out of it Arthur._ Such delusions did his no good. The familiarity in his fathers eyes was pride, something Arthur had rarely seen but often sought for in the depths of the kings orbs. The sword was being lowered down to knight him. There was no accusations, not even the slightest glint that Uther knew what his son had done.

**_Mer_**_lin…_Even in his own mind, Merlin ignored his exasperation. He had brought this stress upon the young prince, no one else.

"Do you, Arthur Pendragon, solemnly swear to uphold the knights code?" Uther asked, his voice bellowing around the chambers.

"I do."

To live with honour and respect? Arthur could do that. To him it was an honour just being allowed into the fold and being able to wear a cape with the Camelot insignia on it and call himself a knight.

Yes he was a prince but his knight status he had earned. He only received it three years early because of how good he was. No matter his status or his Sir Frenwyn would never approve a man to be knighted that had no skill. In fact, he'd been harder on Arthur than the others just to prove to him that point.

Even Arnold agreed – reluctantly and only with a sneer after one too many drinks – that Arthur was a good knight. _Exceptional_, if rumours of his drunken growls were true.

When you were a knight, your status didn't matter unless you fought to the death for what you believed in. Then there was a status dubbed upon you.

You were a hero.

"And do you swear to abide by and uphold the laws of Camelot?"

Now Arthur stopped. They were such simple words he needed to say. 'I do.' What was so hard about that?

But those words were causing a tear in his gut and a hole in his chest. Because hadn't he just let a suspected user of magic be smuggled away by his personal servant? And didn't honour abhor lying?

He was snapped out of his daze by his father's frown and quickly said, "I do," as to not cause alarm. _Did I just lie in my oath? _His gut churned guiltily as he saw the small girl, thumb sliding into her mouth as Merlin picked her up with his gangly arms in his minds eye, though he had no idea which of his conflicted feelings the guilt stemmed from.

"Do you promise to protect the people of Camelot and all those in need of aid?"

Arthur nodded, more sincerely than any of the other oaths. "I do."

That he could promise. That he'd already done. It would something he'd always do. Protecting his people and keeping them happy and safe.

"And do you swear to fight alongside your fellow knights as though they were your brothers?"

Arthur's gaze flicked up and over Sir Leon who stood off to one side and then further down the line until they spotted another knight he had once, a long time ago considered his brother in all but blood.

Sir Kay noticed his gaze lingering on him and the corner of his lip curled up in a familiar grin and he nodded once in approval. With a twinkle of his green eye, Arthur felt instantly reassured. "I do."

"Then I, Uther Pendragon, name you, Prince Arthur Pendragon, Knight of Camelot." The crowd erupted in cheers and Arthur felt the sword touch his shoulders and heard it drawn into his father's sheath.

His voice had been breathless and edgy and most thought it was nerves but meanwhile, Arthur doubted everything he believed in. _They must never know,_ he thought to himself, looking out at the sea of faces of the people that no undoubtedly trusted him.

Before he knew quite what was happening amidst the congratulations and hand shaking, Arthur was being swept up into the feast and as he sat next to his father, a familiar small set of hands held out a filled goblet of something that smelt suspiciously of ale and not the wine everyone else was drinking.

Arthur looked up and saw Merlin standing beside him with an impassive look on his face. "More wine, sire?" he asked

Arthur hesitated then nodded and took it, sipping quietly and noting it was ale. Merlin had heard what he'd said the night before and switched his drink. _Is this a peace offering? _But Merlin would have offered a smile or even a quiet bit of friendly banter.

But he wasn't.

He could feel the tension between himself and the young manservant rolling off onto other diners. Whenever they were more than five feet within each other, they would become tense. People were staring at master and servant, wondering what happened between them for their anger to change the energy in the air.

"You must next dance with Lady Bethany from the lands far north of the border, sire. They're allies." As of yet, Merlin hadn't failed his job of keeping him on task at the ball nor did he back away from the gift he bestowed on Arthur of reminding him names and interesting facts and gossip about all the guests in the room.

He hadn't let Arthur miss a dance or an introduction, warned him when he was about to ask a Lord about the woman who was his ex-wife in front of his new one, and even instructed him to stay as far away from Lady Emelie as he could for she was overly interested in him and would possibly kill for a lock of his hair. All in all, Merlin was quick, efficient and always-on guard to fulfil his duty.

In other words, he was driving Arthur mad!

It was all quite annoying, how dutiful the boy could be when he was angry and at the same time, Arthur hated the fact that he was acting in such an un-Merlin-ish manner. He almost insulted himself to get a laugh out of Merlin, but his father was sitting much too close and anyway, Arthur would _never_ insult himself… out loud.

They had argued plenty of times but Arthur had pulled out a sword. Apart from Merlin punching him that one time as an accident and Arthur occasionally rubbing his head with his fists and ruffling his hair, they'd never turned violent either.

_Why did I pull out my sword?_

_Better die at my sword than anyone else's. _Arthur shivered at the thought of how knights entrusted in his father's inner circle like Arnold and Walden – a knight who was apart of Uther's personal guard – would get pleasure out of killing a magic user or smuggler. _Merlin is neither… it doesn't matter who his father is. He has never studied magic._

He had made up his mind about the entire thing, sometime between the second and third course. Some woman started singing a dreary song, leading some couples to dance a slow courting dance, but Arthur refused to join the throng, unable to dance with anyone but Guinevere apparently. He was slightly ashamed that his footwork in dance was so atrocious but he couldn't stand to hear the slight squeaks of discomfort from the ladies much longer.

Merlin approached with the wine vase, about to pour more ale for him but instead of ignoring him, like masters were supposed to, Arthur wrapped his fingers around Merlin's wrist and caught him there.

He didn't miss the fear that erupted in his eyes and Arthur wanted to growl, that if he was going to arrest him, he wouldn't do it so publicly. But he couldn't.

So rather, he loosened his grip around Merlin's wrist but kept him there anyhow. "Is she alright?" Arthur asked quietly.

Merlin's face slackened and his shoulders dropped to a more comfortable level as he nodded. "Fine. Upset but fine." All then tension between them rolled away and into nothingness. Merlin had a small smile on his face, filled with pride and something else akin to hope. _Hope for what?_

Arthur nodded once and then turned back to the performances. He looked back to Merlin to ask for a refill for a drink but his manservant was gone with nothing but a metal jug where he used to be. With a frown, he looked up and around and saw he was nowhere in sight. _Where did he go?_

* * *

As Arthur voiced his concern over Hannah, Merlin almost wanted to dance and a chant of, 'I told you so!' erupted in his mind as it was confirmed that Arthur did in fact care. _He was just scared out of his mind for defying his father, but he cared!_

He had spotted Gwen on his way inside and he nodded at her once reassuringly and she sighed with relief. Now she looked more cheerful as they both knew Hannah would be fine. As for Mary and Gregory...

As he went to step back to stand against the wall after Arthur confronted him, a hand wrapped around his wrist and dragged him back so suddenly, his head lurched forward and he dropped the jug he'd been holding. Instead of clattering to the ground the, the object slowed its descent and gently placed itself on the floor with no fuss.

Merlin spun around, ready to scream when a thick cologne drenced hand clamped over his mouth and Ahmet's face was brought down to his level. "_Oğlum_, it's just me." Merlin's heart rate slowed down as he realised he was in no danger and he calmed himself down totally.

Ahmet's hand fell away from his face as he knelt down in front of Merlin. "Have you heard about Aliyah and the little girl?"

Merlin frowned. "I know about the little girl. What happened with Aliyah?"

"She is to be executed, come dawn." Merlin's eyes widened in surprise. "She was the sorceress who healed the little girl. She tried to take the entire blame herself, but Uther still is executing the parents and is searching for the child."

"They won't find the girl. I got her out of the city." Merlin said quickly and Ahmet looked surprised. "It why I wasn't here all afternoon."

There was a proud fatherly look that spread over Ahmet's face and Merlin couldn't help but warm to it. "Good boy." he clapped Merlin's shoulder and smiled. "I assume this means we can count on you to help rescue Aliyah, then?"

The obsidian stone thrummed against his chest and Merlin knew he should have said no but... "Only if we can save Mary and Gregory too."

"Don't worry. We shall." Ahmet patted Merlin on the back and then looked out to the feast. Arthur kept shooting worried glances around, searching for Merlin. "You are missed." Ahmet handed a candle to Merlin, seemingly like all the other candles in the kingdom but holding some strange power inside of it. "Before we start dancing, I need you to replace one of the candles in the lantern with this one and light it."

Merlin felt his stomach turn. "Wait. What does it do?"

Ahmet smirked. "Just causes enough of a distraction so we can easily get in and out of the dungeons. Trust me." The candle was slipped into Merlin's hand and he looked down at the object nervously. _Ahmet isn't a bad man,_ he reasoned with himself. _He's just… different from others._

The obsidian continued to thrum against his chest and Merlin winced. He looked at the candle and swallowed stiffly. "Will it hurt them?" he asked nervously.

Ahmet wrapped Merlin's fingers more securely around the candlestick and continued smiling, that single cracked tooth standing out like night against day on his yellowing teeth. "Trust me." he repeated, then pulled back into the shadows, disappearing in front of Merlin's eyes.

He returned to his previous position and picked up the wine vase that he'd filled with ale for Arthur. _Arthur_.

What would Arthur say about this? He had just shown concern for the girl but did he care for her parents? Would he turn another blind eye if he knew Merlin was helping to let prisoners escape?

It all made Merlin's stomach churn uncomfortably.

_But he'll free Mary and Gregory. _His eyes flittered over to Gaius and he could still hear his mentor shouting at him and hear his own cruel words echo back. _I'm sorry Gaius._

With a flash of his gold eyes, he made on the candlesticks break and went to the table, leaning over Arthur to replace it. "Where have you been?" Arthur hissed in his ear as he leant over him.

Merlin nodded to the broken candle now in his hand as he traded the light over to it. "I went to get a new candle." he said, keeping his expression neutral. "Wine?"

Arthur didn't look as convinced as Merlin wished he did. _Can't you see I'm doing what's right?_ He wanted to say, but Merlin had his own fluttering's of doubt. "_Merlin…_" he jumped at the sound of the dragon's voice. "_Remember your destiny…_"

Before he could yell at the golden oversized lizard to get out of his head, a fast drum beat started up and Merlin looked up to see the floor had been cleared of dancers and replaced by Ahmet and a set of drums. Çilek was beside him with a fiddle and played out a long hypnotic note as Zeynep, Fatima, Aygul and Dima all came out of their hiding spots amongst the crowds, dancing and turning, wearing little bells on their fingers and their costumes of long see through veils in blues, purples and greens.

The women danced and spun clothes around, gaining much excitement from the crowd who _oohed_ and _ahhed_ as the women twisted their stomachs around and danced to the strange beats of the foreign music. Çilek was quite the player too and the faster she played, the more the crowd seemed to enjoy it.

It was as Çilek whipped the bow across her instrument into a frenzy did Merlin notice the flame of the candle he'd placed in the holder was growing larger. He stared at it in wonder and then back at Çilek.

As the music got even more energetic, some people's excitement turned disgruntled and that was when punches started being thrown and Merlin's step faltered as his doubt turned into fear.

The whole feast was in an uproar, knights, nobles, servants and the like attacking one another furiously. Merlin's eyes widened in panic as he looked to Arthur who was withdrawing his sword against Uther. "Why?!" Arthur yelled furiously as Uther screamed back in a similar fashion and tried to run his son through.

"No!" Merlin shouted and knocked Uther down, out of the way from Arthur's sword. If it had been any other time in his life Merlin would have been astonished that he just tackled the King of Camelot.

But now the King's anger turned on him. "You... You arrogant, disobedient, child!" Merlin scuttled back as Uther tried to attack him and he looked to Arthur for help. Arthur provided it, blinded by his anger at Uther and swung his sword out to meet his father's in a large clang.

Merlin focused on Arthur's shirt and murmured, "_Scild_ _hine_." His eyes flashed gold as he made the material invincible, but had done no such thing for Uther. Before he could try he was knocked out of the way by someone else. Quick to regain himself, he turned back to the King and the Prince. "Arthur, no this is wrong." Merlin argued with him, moving between father and son. "Snap out of it!"

Instead of listening, Arthur shoved Merlin roughly, sending him into the table where his head cracked against the edge and painful spots danced through his vision.

The room swum around him and he sunk to his knees._ I have no time for this._

He turned back to the dancers, realising his only way to make it out of all of this alive was to stop them. His heart stopped beating when he looked though. All of them but Çilek and Fatima were gone. Fatima had taken up Ahmet's position on the drums as Çilek furiously whipped the bow over her strings.

Merlin jumped over the table, knocking over food and drink and shouted, "Stop! You're going to kill someone."

Çilek paid him no mind and Merlin growled in frustration. He turned around and saw some were in fact bleeding, knife and sword wounds appearing on guests like it was fashionable. They were attacking each other in a furious heat.

Merlin couldn't see anyone dead but glanced at Gwen and heard her screaming as a knight tried ripping out her hair. His eyes widened, alarmed and he bolted over. "Gwen!" he cried out and skidded down on the ground, knocking the man's feet out from underneath him. As he fell back be saw for the first time it was in fact, Sir Arnold.

"Oh no..." he went to grab Gwen but she was now attacking another servant savagely. "Just don't kill anyone." he begged. A sword swiped near him and Merlin ducked away from the blade just in time.

He turned back around to see Sir Arnold approach. "Ugh... Got to go!" he scrambled up and rushed back to the table Arthur and Uther fought behind. Quickly he looked down the table and sought out the candle he'd planted. "Stupid, stupid!"

The flame was unnaturally tall, almost glancing the ceiling. He turned to Çilek. "Either stop, or I'll blow the candle out." he warned then ducked away from Arnold's sword and slid under the table this time to put distance between them. "Now Çilek!"

The girl opened her eyes and glanced at him and then the candle and seemed to understand. She said something to Fatima and the dancer glared at Merlin but slowed down the drumbeat along with Çilek. He looked around and saw the patrons were now slowing down into a deep slumber, passing out from corner to corner and, no doubt in the entire castle as well.

Merlin looked at Çilek once to make sure that she wasn't going to go back to the furious music, then started checking on everyone. Morgana seemed to have a bruise on the side of her face and Helena was collapsed on top of her. Arthur was safe, unharmed because of Merlin's magic but he had managed to cut Uther's face. Gaius was fine and, apart from her hair being in a mess and most likely pain in her head, Gwen appeared fine too.

Some others weren't so lucky and were bleeding out everywhere. "This isn't what I thought..." Merlin groaned. He heard footsteps and looked up to see Ahmet run in with Zeynep and Aliyah.

"I didn't know you were going to hurt everyone!" he shouted as the man approached the centre of the room.

Ahmet frowned. "How did you think we were going to save them?"

"Why not just put them to sleep?" Merlin asked, throwing his hands up in the air to indicate. "Why did more people have to die? Why attack Arthur and the King?"

"They are not your people." Ahmet said sternly. "You are a _falcı_, a creature of ancient magic. You are not like the prince. You are not human."

Merlin shook his head. "I'm just a human. A human gifted with magic."

"Humans aren't gifted with magic like you are." Ahmet snapped. "Humans cannot touch the power that they crave. There is a reason why kings exist only for humans and that is because only humans crave the power you possess."

Merlin winced. "I'm human."

"You're a warlock!" he growled.

Drawing back his shoulders Merlin yelled, "I'm human!" And Ahmet flew back unceremoniously and at the same time, the doors closed in and they were all locked inside. None of the court stirred, even as Zeynep threw a spell at him and he ducked under the table to miss it, the food exploding above his head. "You know Merlin, we didn't come here for this. Uther attacked us!"

There was another explosion and he curled up into himself as the sound of food splattering to the ground and the table splintering and breaking blew through his eardrums, accompanied by the violin and slow beats of the drum. "That woman sent word to us, asking us for help. Asking us to heal her only daughter and we came here to do just that."

He heard the wood crack around him as the next attack hit and he braced himself as he felt the shards spraying him. "We helped them and Uther punished us!" Another explosion flew his way, only this time the covers on the table flew up, revealing his hiding spot and forcing him to crawl away as Zeynep finally spotted him.

_Stop hiding under the table like a frightened child!_ A voice yelled at him sharply in his head and it sounded stupidly like Will. _You've got magic you dollophead. Use it!_

He lifted his head up and thought about it. The spell was magical and it was attached to the candle. _As long as the candle burnt..._

_But which candle was it?_ Merlin could barely place himself on the room and was unable to see out from the table as food rained down from above.

_Better safe than sorry. _"_Áhefee se byre ic i swierfe þæs bæwylmes_." Magic hissed and spittled in his ear and Merlin braced himself as he heard the winds wreak havoc above him and extinguish every last flame in the room, plunging everything into darkness.

The music stopped as did Zeynep's attack and Merlin was finally able to crawl out from under the table. It was dark, Merlin couldn't see a thing but neither could anyone else.

Someone screamed. There were echoing's of painful moans erupting through the dark then Uther's commands. "Someone... The candles! Light the candles, now!"

Flickering's of torchlight started to erupt as servants hastily pulled out their tapers, but Merlin had already found himself half way across the floor, his eyes adjusting to the lack of light easily after many nights of creeping back through the pitch-black castle and sneaking out with Will through the even darker Ealdor. Quickly, he found Arthur, still unconscious.

He pressed his fingers to his neck to find a pulse just like Gaius had taught him to, but he had obviously been asleep during his training because Merlin found none and refused to believe anything but his own incompetence was the blame. He gently shook Arthur's shoulders. "Come on... Your own personal earthquake will keep going until you wake up." he heard the desperation in his own voice, needing to ensure he hadn't been the cause of his friend's death. "Please?"

The effect was almost instant.

Blearily, Arthur woke and Merlin hovered over him with a worried expression. "Arthur? Are you okay?"

The prince grabbed at his head and shook it slightly. "What...?" he tried to get up but collapsed back down at Merlin helped him sit up at least, on his knees. "Dark?" Arthur grumbled.

Merlin chuckled. "Yeah. It is. Come on." he helped hoist Arthur up as more lights came on, wearily both teens barely making it up.

Merlin held Arthur up and the prince weakly leant against him as more and more woke up. "What happened?" Arthur asked, looking around and confused for good reason.

"I don't know." he lied. "I just woke up."

"Prince Arthur!" someone yelled and both Arthur and Merlin turned around at the same time. Merlin's eyes widened in horror as Ahmet threw a dagger straight at Merlin.

Time slowed down around him as the blade twirled through the air at him. Merlin looked up and saw that it wasn't just a dagger. It was an athame, with a hilt like his. Merlin pulled out the oncoming athame's twin from his pocket and hurled it at Ahmet just as time sped up again.

Arthur, having only time to react at normal speed, tackled Merlin to the ground so the first athame just sped over them, meaning Merlin couldn't see if his throw had struck or not.

The last thing he remembered was Arthur squeezing his eye shut as the fell to the ground and Merlin's head cracked against the tiled floor with a dull crack, the second blow rendering him unconscious.

* * *

**A/N: **Review, please and thanks.


	20. The Regret

**A/N: **I don't know about all of you but 'The Deathsong of Uther Pendragon' is my favourite episode thus far.

**A maze thing, **Arthur is actually my favourite characters to write because he's just so complicated. You know how he feels and such but he has this constant battle between duty and what he believes to be right and you never know which one he will follow until the last minute. You are psychic. I wrote the end to this chapter *ages* ago... And you will also find out why Uther thinks he knows better than everyone else on Merlin's parentage... **gorgeousangel, **I have been staring at your review since the day you posted it and trying to figure out what you're talking about. I know 'Æthelred' or 'Aethelred' was the king of Mercia and one of the Kings of Anglia (which is randomly who is in the next chapter... Only his name isn't Æthelred) but I've got no idea what you're referring to. **xPrincessoftheSkiesx** Hehehe... More in this chapter. **Curly Wurly Me, **yeah, try uploading from your phone... Painful. But I'm glad it was worth the wait. **bubzchoc**, Thanks! **spinnerofdark, **lol... Merlin had locked all the doors in the room. They couldn't get out. Fight or Flight... But if you're referencing the fact they made everyone attack each other, I tried to get the point that Ahmet wasn't a completely nice man from the beginning. **jayley, **just a small mess... Kind of... **Distressed Clover, **(blushes profusely) Um... thank you. I'm horrible at compliments... Wow. No one's every called me amazing before and I've been on FF for 8 years. Thank you, you're brilliant. **IndiaMoore**, Updated! Thanks for the review :)

There is actually a big reason for this chapter taking so long but read the end A/N for that...

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Merlin. I'm not allowed within fifty feet of the set. :(

* * *

**The Regret**

The first thing he was completely aware of was the sunlight beating down on his face. He could feel it warming and colouring his skin and strangely he questioned the warmth, which led him to his second awareness. His chambers were usually freezing and though the light did stream in, it didn't change the fact that it was like a snowy day in there. _So I have chambers,_ he thought to himself and that was his third awareness.

He could speak. "'Lo?" he called out groggily.

He twisted up his covers by accident as he tried to move and a feeling in his hand tightened. The covers were weighed down by something, making it difficult to move. "Merlin?" a soft voice tickled the side of his face and he realised he wasn't alone.

_That's my name,_ he told himself and started to open his eyes. Squashed beside him on the bed was a dark, curly haired girl and she had her hand around his and slept above the covers. She saw a bandage around her head and it all flooded back to him in a second.

His name, his mother, Ealdor, Will, Camelot, Arthur, Morgana, Gwen, Gaius, Uther, Sir Arnold, Hannah, hiding inside the closet and finally, Ahmet, the dancers and the night before. "You're awake." Gwen said, sitting up. They were both on the patient's bed by the fire in the physician's chambers. "Gaius said you hit your head pretty hard. He had to give you stitches."

Merlin rubbed his head and winced when he touched the tender lump. "Ow." he mumbled, closing his eyes in pain. "Are you alright?" he asked pointing at her head.

"Fine... Just bruised. Someone tried to pull out my hair." she gathered her skirt up under her and looked down at Merlin. "Those sorcerers – the ones that healed Hannah – they cast a spell on the entire kingdom. No one knows what yet, but when we woke up it looked as though we'd all been through a war. Something must have happened though, because we woke up and we were plunged into darkness and one of them tried to kill Arthur and he threw you both to the ground. That's when your head got hit."

"No..." he muttered. "I hit my head before. That was just the second time it got hit."

Gwen looked surprised but then got up and started fussing over him. "Do you want something? Water? Food?"

He ignored her. "Where's Gaius?"

Straightening up she said, "Tending to people. More than half the kingdom is injured, though, like I said, no one knows how." Merlin stayed quiet. "Morgana gave me the day off to help Gaius and he told me just to watch you... Then I got tired. I didn't sleep all night." she blushed and started put some pieces of food from a tray from the kitchen into a plate for Merlin. "Sorry. I should have slept somewhere else."

Merlin went to shake his head but winced. "No... Don't worry about it. I don't mind sharing." Gwen blushed even more started pouring Merlin some drink. "What... What happened to the sorcerers?"

Gwen now stopped, her hand hovering over the goblet she was about to hand to Merlin. She finally grasped it and went to him. "They escaped. All of them. No one knows where they went. It was dark and things happened so quickly. You were unconscious and then suddenly the doors had unlocked and no one had known it was them until they ran and someone saw the healer with them."

_Aliyah... Mary and Gregory!_ He sat up, his head pounding at the change in level and looked wildly at Gwen. "Did... Did they all escape? The healer and Mary and Gregory?" Gwen stopped again, this time looking down at the ground. The air became thick with the silence and Merlin's airways started closing with nerves. "Gwen!"

She looked up at him and shook her head slowly. Merlin looked up at the sky and saw it was well after dawn. Probably closer to noon.

The execution had been scheduled for dawn.

He had been unconscious this entire time and hadn't been able to save them. They were dead and it was all Merlin's fault. "No!" he moaned.

Gwen sat beside him again and pulled him into her arms. "You saved Hannah." she said, rocking him back and forth. "You did all you could." She was crying, tears pouring from her eyes and off her chin.

Merlin had no tears. He was only in pain at having been so easily fooled by Ahmet. He had thought the man actually cared about him.

_No wonder people hate magic._ He pulled away from Gwen only when she was calmer and then gradually stood up without assistance, wiping the tears that weren't there hastily. He was too numb to know he wasn't actually crying. "I need to send a letter to Iresa, telling Vanessa what happened."

"I already did." Gwen said, wiping her eyes and sniffing wildly.

"I need to send one. I need to apologise." Merlin couldn't tell Gwen how it was all his fault but he saw in her eyes she knew how he felt. He knew she believed it wasn't. But now a new thought burned through his head, that had always been there but now had been said out loud by the man who had tried to kill him.

_"Do you trust them enough to not kill you?"_

He did. He trusted Gwen and Morgana and even Arthur... But he no longer trusted the kingdom or Uther not to kill them along with him should his magic ever be discovered. _Ahmet, wherever you are I hope that you carry the guilt of leaving them behind._

* * *

Arthur stood outside the prison cell, leaning back heavily against the wall almost like he was supporting it. He had his arms crossed firmly over his chest and his head bent in sleep. He was more tired than he could imagine, which was strange because he had slept almost as soon as he saw his pillow.

But his worries were what tired him. He had watched the execution that morning from his bedroom window. Uther had allowed him to rest but he'd forced himself to wake and watch as the innocent Mary and Gregory were beheaded in front of a crowd who had been friends, once upon a time. _But now with the dirty word of sorcerer marking them, no one would dare lift a finger to help._

Except of course for Merlin.

_Stupid self-sacrificing idiot._ Merlin still hadn't woken up. In the scariest moment of Arthur's life, he actually though he'd killed him. He saw Merlin throw the dagger with inhuman speed but he was already propelling himself forward to protect them both from the dagger that was already flying their way.

He shoved him forcefully to the ground and he heard the sickening crack as his manservant fell and quickly rolled off him so he wouldn't suffocate. "Merlin?" he called out, completely forgetting about the man who had just tried to kill him. There was blood seeping from the back of his head and Arthur's heart stopped. "Merlin!" he shouted, scrambling to feel a dull pulse under his fingers around his too pale neck.

It was there, quiet and too soft, pulsing painfully only every few beats. "Gaius!" he quickly called the physician over and when the man saw the sheer panic on the prince's face, he rushed over. Then his face fell at the sight of Merlin.

"Oh, my boy." he groaned, quickly checking him over. "I need to examine him better in my chambers. What happened?"

It all came back to him quickly and only then did Arthur realise that no one was arresting the man who had tried to kill him. He looked up and the doors had been flung open and the dancers were all gone. But when he tried to find their master…

He came back to the present as Gaius, Sir Arnold and Uther came out of the dungeons medical chambers, for those in the prison who needed both guard and health care. Rarely were they used. The only people who were allowed the physicians attendance when they were in the dungeon were royals in there for crimes other than treason. "Arthur?" Uther said curiously and the prince quickly straightened up, standing to full height and off the wall.

"I was wondering if I could be of any assistance, sire." Arthur said dutifully, looking between the three men. "Or if you needed anything done…" In other words, Arthur needed to feel useful. He'd gone passed Gaius's chambers and Gwen and Merlin had both been asleep in front of the fire in the main chamber. Normally he would tease Merlin, but for now he had no desire to do anything until the boy was awake.

Uther frowned then nodded to Gaius. "Assist Gaius and report back to me once his task is complete. Sir Arnold and I have much to discuss." In his hand, Uther carried the long dagger that had been embedded into the deceased chest, all the way down to the hilt.

After bowing, Arthur watched Uther and Sir Arnold leave and turned back to Gaius only when they were far-gone. "Is he _really_ dead?" Arthur asked, still a little shocked himself.

"Yes." Gaius said sombrely. They re-entered the room together and Arthur saw for the second time since the night before, the dead man who had tried to kill him.

When Merlin had thrown his dagger, it had hit the master of the dancers in his right shoulder and embedded itself hilt deep. He had dropped dead not a second later and his dancers had run and escaped, dragging the youngest with them who had screamed in his wake. "Merlin _killed_ him." Arthur whispered, staring at the body in awe.

Of course Arthur had killed many. His first kill had been when he was fourteen and he had been in a patrol as a squire when bandits attacked. He'd drawn his sword and buried it into the attacking man's belly, but before he could mourn or consider what he'd done, the next man had come at him and he was killing again.

It was only a few days later, when he had returned and the shock had worn off, that Arthur realised what he had done. Then, and only then, did he grieve the innocence that was suddenly gone from him. He had taken another life and seen the life die from his eyes. It had been horrible. _Maybe it was for the best I knocked Merlin out. _"We can't tell him." Arthur reasoned out loud, staring at the pallid face of the man.

"It would only cause him distress." Gaius agreed.

They both continued to stare at the man who had tried last night to kill the prince. _Or had he tried to kill Merlin? _

It was strange. It had all happened so fast but the reason why Arthur had tackled Merlin was because he saw the knife flying at his manservant. He looked up and down at Ahmet's body and wondered why he would have any need to kill Merlin or if his aim had simply been off. "But it was in self-defence. He threw a dagger at us." Arthur didn't want to lie to Merlin should he ask what happened. He also wanted to thank him for what he did. He should have been congratulated and praised. Even Uther acknowledged the servant defended their prince, even though Sir Arnold had glared angrily at that point.

The old man sighed, "I fear Merlin is not like you. He will not see the fact he tried to save a life, he will only see that he destroyed one. No, it is for the best that we keep this hidden from him."

Arthur glared at the bloodstained part of the man's shirt. "It wasn't even a fatal wound. I've seen many men take blows like that one to the shoulder. How could he have died?"

Gaius shook his head, but kept his eyes firmly averted from Arthur. "I do not know. I believe he may have been ill before hand, clear markings on his nails and throat show he has a grave illness that makes it difficult for him to breathe. This is why we should have the body burned immediately."

Arthur nodded, slowly heading to the door. "I'll have it organised."

* * *

After a while, Merlin insisted to Gwen they needed to get out of the physicians chambers. He needed air and time to think and also he wanted to send the letter with the first messenger out of Camelot. He collected a few gold coins and left a note for Gaius should he return and together him and Gwen left the castle and had the letter sent.

They then took to walking through the markets, not speaking or looking at anything but needing to keep moving. Gwen was fidgeting and Merlin had no idea why but he didn't want to send her away or tell her to stop.

They spent the afternoon just outside Camelot, near the lake and skipped stones in silence, only occasionally disrupting each others thought by asking them to hand over a particular good stone.

At dusk, Merlin walked Gwen home and paused outside of her door. "Thank you. For… you know. Everything." He scratched the back of his head and tilted his head to the side with a small smile.

Gwen stared at him, her mouth slightly agape then got on her toes and kissed Merlin full on the lips. He stumbled back in surprise and Gwen was bright red. "I… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" She quickly stole into her house leaving Merlin red and confused, standing in the middle of the street.

After a few minutes standing outside the forge with a blank mind, Merlin headed back into the castle. His mind started spinning with more than just the guilt of losing Mary and Gregory but now the worry that he might just lose one of his few friends in Camelot.

It wasn't that he didn't like Gwen he just… Liked Morgana more.

He groaned, smacking his head. _Deal with it in the morning._ He trudged back up to the castle, hands in pockets and head bent in thought.

Quietly he reached the physicians chambers and entered. Gaius looked up and his face fell as worry melted away. "Merlin." he said silently relieved.

All thought of Gwen and Morgana left his mind as he remembered his last words to Gaius. "I'm sorry." he said quickly. "I didn't mean it. You can boss me around all you want." Gaius stood up and walked across the room, wrapping his arms over him. Merlin fell into his grip resting his head against his chest and soon the tears he hadn't had when Gwen held him came out. "I couldn't save them." he cried into the physicians gowns.

"Sometimes you can't save them all." Gaius whispered, running his hand over Merlin's head. "And I know Mary and Gregory wouldn't have wanted you to risk yourself for them. They wouldn't have wanted you to get into trouble too."

"But it was my fault." And then Merlin told Gaius the whole story starting with how he met Ahmet and what had really happened the previous night.

Gaius had been patient and listened to every word without judgement. They had sat down at the table and when he was finally done with his spiel, he wiped his eyes and said, "They're dead because of me."

Quickly Gaius squeezed his hand and replied, "They are dead because of Uther and the law. You did all you could by saving Hannah and I am proud of you for that."

"But I could have saved them too. I thought I was. I didn't know Ahmet would betray me."

Gaius sighed sadly. "Not everyone in this world is as honest as you, Merlin. And from what you said, he tried to kill you with that athame to escape. A true mentor would never let their student die, let alone try and kill them."

Merlin remembered the horrible words he'd yelled at Gaius the day before and looked up at him sadly. "Just like you wouldn't let me be killed for having magic." he assumed.

"I wouldn't let them touch a hair on your head." Gaius said, leaning forward and smiling.

He ruffled Merlin's hair and he ducked his head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry Gaius."

"Don't be. I should have been inside that closet with you." he patted his hand and stood up. "But enough of this. Let us eat." He went away and came back with two plates filled with food and gratefully, Merlin dug in.

For a while their conversation pattered out as the two hungry occupants in the physicians chambers ate, but Merlin kept replaying the moment in his mind when he threw the athame at Ahmet. If the athame had hit him and fitted into his chest down to the hilt, then he wouldn't have survived. He shivered at the thought. "Did… did Ahmet escape with the dancers?"

Gaius paused and then nodded. "Yes. They all escaped."

"Good." he said quietly, looking back to his plate. He sniffed and his shoulders deflated. "He… He called me something. A _falcı_. It apparently means a warlock. D-Do you know what a warlock is?"

Gaius frowned and tilted his head to the side. "Where did you hear that word?"

He chewed the meat in his mouth slowly, trying to delay his answer to think of a good one. For some reason he knew he couldn't tell Gaius about the dragon, despite having confessed to everything else. "Ahmet taught me." he said slowly. It wasn't a complete lie.

The old man studied Merlin carefully for the lie, but didn't find it. "In the Old Religion, magic users were defined by the powers of their birth right. A sorcerer was someone who learnt magic, a warlock and a witch were men and women who had them develop at a young age. Some are seers, some are just powerful sorcerers whilst most are simply Druids."

"Am I a warlock?" he asked.

Gaius hesitated. "Possibly. I think so. You are different from most as you were doing magic at just hours old on pure instinct. Also, most warlocks seem to have a talent for something, such as prophecies or healing. You just seem to have a strong ability for magic in general."

Merlin felt his stomach turn. "So... So I'm a monster?"

Gaius's eyes darted up. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

_"You are not like the prince. You are not human."_

"I just... It's what I think." he said quietly, looking back to his plate.

"Look at me." Gaius ordered and slowly, Merlin tilted his head up and stared his mentor right in the eyes. "You, Merlin, are many things. Intelligent, kind hearted, gentle and clumsy," he said the last one and got Merlin to smile. "But you are not a monster."

Merlin nodded, trying to believe him but unable to, old fears springing up inside of him. He could almost see the glares and accusations of the villagers. "I think I'm going to go to bed now."

Gaius took his hand and tightened his grip and fixed Merlin with a fiery stare. "You are no monster, Merlin. I have seen monsters. Believe me. _You_ are a saint."

He nodded again, half-heartedly then went to his room and buried his face in his pillow in thought. He moved his head to the side so he could breath and caught sight of his nightstand and sat up in surprise.

Lying there, with his wings collapsed and very much dead, was Fred. Merlin's bottom lip curled in thought and he lightly reached over and patted his crumpled wing, leaving a black and blue dust on his fingers. He curled back down and rested his head once more on his pillow, this time delicately petting Fred, the dead magical butterfly, until he fell asleep.

* * *

Uther watched from the window as the body of the sorcerer was burnt in the courtyard behind the castle along with the bodies of the couple who had healed their daughter. It was a lesser known area where the King had people deal with the unpleasant parts of running a kingdom, such as when prisoners died in gaol or when nobles took an unpleasant interest in servants.

It wasn't a courtyard where the honourable rested but where they burnt those they wanted the kingdom to forget and the air shrieked with the souls of the corrupted and spoiled of Camelot.

The window he stared out of was the only one that viewed this particular courtyard. He'd made sure the others were sealed with brick and stone but this window he'd left open for himself to watch out of with a sad curiosity.

He sometimes wondered to himself how great evil such as the ones with magic existed. If it was a fair and true world, how did such people as the Master from Constantinople exist?

"My lord." Uther looked up from the curling ashes and turned to see Sir Arnold standing there, his hand clutching the athame that the serving boy had thrown that killed the sorcerer. Though even to the king it made no sense. It was not a deathly blow.

Curiously, Uther for a moment forgot that he had the athame. He frowned and reached into his pocket and found the hilt still there, dug inside his jacket. "Twin blades." Uther said quietly, withdrawing the athame he had and laying them side by side.

Sir Arnold nodded and twisted them over. They were virtually impossible to tell apart. "My lord, this blade here is the one that was aimed at Prince Arthur." Arnold said, twisting it in his hand. "After the prince was led away in his distress, I went and retrieved it to inspect it and then, in the prisons I saw that one.

"The serving boy had an identical blade." Arnold hushed quietly. "And sire there is more." Uther frowned but listened. "There are reports sire, people who say that the serving boy had become close with one of the guests, though no one for sure can say which ones."

"Arnold, I am unsure of what you are trying to say."

Arnold smiled at the king as though he was a child. "Do you not see it my lord. The child is in leagues with magic."

Uther shook his head. "It proves nothing."

"Sire, I am telling you. He is the son of Balinor!"

With a growl Uther said, "It is impossible!" The words echoed around them and Sir Arnold fell quiet. "Now, I understand why you believe this. I remember quite clearly your disdain to Balinor and Hunith and remember more so your glee when you went to hunt him down but… But I tell you this and only you. Balinor is dead."

Arnold frowned. "What? When?"

"Weeks before your return from Ealdor, he came to free the dragon." Uther said quietly and then turned his head and looked back out to the courtyard. "Weeks before your return to Camelot, _before_ you had even approached Ealdor… and Sir Ector ran him through."

Arnold pulled back. "But my lord. Sir _Ector_? Really? You cannot believe the man. He was the Dragon Lord's friend!"

"I believe him because I saw it happen, Arnold." Uther said quietly. "I stood up in this window and saw the body burn."

"Then why not tell us?"

Uther sighed, "I sent out word to have you, Lewis and Goloris retrieved but it never reached you. The messenger was struck down by bandits, apparently." Uther closed his eyes and turned to look back out the window. "Then Sir Ector began to feel guilt and made me promise to hide Balinor's death. It hurt him greatly and he did not want to be accused by the rest of Balinor's remaining friends. He did not want Hunith to find out. Then he made a good point. If the magical community discovered the last Dragonlord was dead – or worse, if the _dragon_ found out, then all hell would break loose. Balinor was their king and their hope to bring the magical race back."

Uther looked at Arnold and his expression turned dark. "Now, I will question the boy at how he acquired this athame, but you will not accuse him of being Balinor's son again. There is no way in which it could be possible. Do you understand?"

* * *

Gaius had cleared Merlin to resume his duties straight away and Merlin was quite thankful. He needed something to distract himself from all that had happened, and Arthur was great at providing loads of distractions in the forms of chores. He saw Arthur for the first time since his birthday as he woke the prince and smiled half heartedly as he said, "Morning."

Arthur pushed himself up and yawned loudly before asking, "What are you doing here?"

"Waking you up and getting you ready." Merlin said. "Remember, you're incapable."

"Ha, ha. How's your head?"

"Good. Your efforts to kill me failed."

It had been meant as a joke, meant to keep their banter going but they both were reminded of their confrontation over Hannah and Merlin wanted to smack his head. "Sorry. I didn't mean that. I know you wouldn't kill me." he said quickly and Arthur looked a little stunned.

"How do you know that?" Arthur asked, a little stunned. "How come you trust me so much?"

Merlin shrugged a little. "Don't you trust me?"

He made a face. "Don't be such a _girl_ Merlin."

"You're the one asking about trust!" he countered.

"I'm a prince. A prince with a sword. A sword I put up to your throat. I could turn around and behead you at any given moment for what you've done. Why do you think I wouldn't?" Arthur was slowly getting angry. "Tell me why I shouldn't? Why did I save you the other day? We both know that dagger wasn't coming for me. Whether he misfired or you offended the man somehow, you were going to die but I saved you after I forgave you and covered for you for breaking the law! Why would I do all of that for you?"

Arthur had apparently had his own questions spinning around his head and Merlin, always too old for his age when it came to others, knew Arthur wanted to know why he felt that way and not why Merlin trusted him. So he put it simply, for the prince's muddled mind to figure it out.

"Because I'm your best friend and you don't have another one." he said with a shrug and then proceeded to yank the covers off the bed. "Now you need to be at breakfast with your father in forty minutes so _get up_."

For a moment, Arthur stared at him incredulously, almost like he didn't want to believe him. After a moment however, he grabbed Merlin with an arm around his neck and started rubbing his hair with knuckles. "Tell anyone, and I'll make your life a living hell."

"Ow, my head! My head!" Merlin started batting Arthur away but the prince was very careful not to go near Merlin's lumps and was more gently than he normally was. He didn't give up until Merlin was shouting, "Alright! Alright! I promise!" Arthur let go and Merlin pulled away, holding his head. "Ow…" he groaned, pouting and gently touching his bandages. "There is a big crack in my skull you know. It also gives me a migraine."

Arthur smirked. "Sorry." he said, sounding sincere but unable to not laugh. "Got carried away."

"You think." Merlin pointed dramatically to the cupboard. "You can get yourself ready. I need to sit down." He did so and Arthur chuckled and launched himself out of bed and started getting ready, rattling off a list of chores, but Merlin noted that they were incredibly lighter than usual.

Merlin smirked and rested his head between his hands. "You're a good guy, sometimes." A dirty shirt smacked him in the face.

"Wash that."

There was a knock at the door and Merlin quickly scurried up into a standing position as Arthur called out, "Come in."

The door opened and a servant walked in, looking nervous. "Sire? The King wishes to speak with you and your serving boy… Marvin."

Merlin perked up and looked at Arthur who was wearing a worried expression.

Once Arthur was dressed, the two of them headed down to the main chambers and spotted Morgana, Gwen and Helena approaching. Merlin froze in his steps as he saw Gwen coming towards them and so did she. The two stared at each other and Gwen fled, turning around and rushing down the hall.

Helena and Morgana stopped and turned and Arthur even paused to look after her. "What's wrong with her?"

Merlin shoved Arthur forward from behind unceremoniously. "Nothing. Keep going. We're going to be late."

"Aren't I supposed to be in charge?" Arthur complained, but kept walking.

They entered the main chambers and Merlin gulped in surprise when he saw the entire court there. He looked around suspiciously at Arthur who simply shrugged. He hadn't been expecting this.

The two of them approached the king and Morgana took her usual seat by his side but when Arthur went, the king stopped him. "This involves your manservant, Arthur and he is your property which means you must be present."

Merlin balked at being called property but did his best to keep it from his face. "State your name and occupation." Geoffrey spoke up and Merlin looked at Arthur who nodded.

Gaius was somewhere in the room looking nervous and was praying Merlin wouldn't do anything silly. "Merlin… Personal servant to the prince?"

"Two nights ago," Uther started. "During the feast, you threw a dagger at a sorcerer, correct?"

Merlin nodded and looked to Arthur again who was turning white. "Yes." he answered unsurely.

The athame was pulled out from somewhere inside Uther's clothing. "Where did you get this from?"

He recognised the athame straight away and then remembered it was the same one that Ahmet had thrown at Arthur. He knew now where the questioning was leading and quickly said, "I found it. On the floor beside me when I woke up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." he said, nodding his head. "Someone had fallen on top of me and I found it after I pushed him off." The idea was planted in Uther's mind, Merlin saw it. He could only hope the seed would grow.

"Were you underneath the sorcerer?"

Inside he felt triumphant but on the outside he just shook his head. "I don't know. I just saw Ar – Prince Arthur unconscious and ran to him."

Merlin and Arthur both saw Uther look at Sir Arnold as though the explanation was perfectly clear. For the first time, Merlin caught the knights eye and saw deep inside the grey orbs there was a burning hatred for him.

Quickly, he turned away and Arthur, who had seen the interaction, took one step in front of Merlin that cut him off from the view of Arnold. "You must be congratulated, Merlin." Uther said. "You protected your prince. For this I believe a days vacation is in order."

Merlin bowed, "Thank you milord."

He was dismissed and went and waited outside court for Arthur to finish with his duties. When he finally did, Arthur came out looking manic. "What _was_ that?"

With a shrug, Merlin pointed at Arthur. "He's your father."

Arthur groaned and rubbed is face. When he finally pulled his hands away, he grabbed Merlin by the shoulders and leant down to his level. "You need to promise me something and you must swear _never_ to break that promise."

With a slow nod, Merlin agreed. "Okay."

"Stay away from Sir Arnold. Do not go near him, do not talk to him, do not stay in the same room as him if I am not there. Do you understand?" He shook Merlin slightly and the servant of the prince couldn't help but be worried.

"I promise." he agreed. "But Arthur-"

"Don't ask stupid questions, Merlin." Arthur said, letting go of him, anticipating Merlin's questioning. "Just… go take your vacation."

"I thought I could take it tomorrow." Merlin said, trying to smile and cheer his prince up. "You know… because you have nothing on your schedule but breakfast with your father."

Arthur looked down at him and then grinned. "Yeah. Alright. Hey, maybe I'll teach you how to hunt."

* * *

**A/N: **How'd you like them apples? Review, please and thanks!

So I was bored and writing drabbles in class (as one does) and I wrote a sort of Prequel to this, set twenty-six years before _Other Version of Events_ entitled _The Letters of Camelot_ and depicting life before the Great Purge. It wasn't intentional but I realised (especially writing this and the next chapter) there was a whole story before all of this that I knew in my head but hadn't written out. I just sort of knew that it was why it all happened.

It took me a while to know if I was going to write because I was kind of just working some things out for it so it didn't clash and trying to figure out if I could write them simultaneously without giving away anything in either fics. If you want to check it out, I just uploaded the first chapter called, _How it Began_. I can tell you the last chapter is called _How it Almost Ended_. Original, ey? My point, if you want to know what happened before, why Arnold hates Balinor, why Uther feels pity for Hunith and doesn't believe Balinor is his father, why everyone is willing to protect Merlin from his parentage and why, despite their only involvement in this story so far is adding in their names, Sir Frenwyn and Sir Walden are my favourite OC's then go on and read!


	21. The Court of the Lake

**A/N: **ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS! Thank you all so much! I read reviews over and over because it makes me smile thinking people are enjoying things that I imagine in my head... In a completely non-vain way, if that makes sense... I enjoy the fact I'm making people cringe with excitement because I know when I read a book or FF I love that feeling. :)

**Bundibird,** yeah look up FanFiction terminology. (I think it's an angelfire site) Helped me _a lot_. And I'm so glad you like my characterisation and that you picked up on the connections and the fact you liked all those lines aaand that you stayed up reading. :) I hope you didn't fall asleep on your empty coffee cup as I did after my Harry-Potter induced coma. P.S. 'Are you _ever_ vertical' is my favourite line that I've ever written, purely because I imagine Arthur holding Merlin at a forty five degree angle from the back of his jacket at the time... **A maze thing. **If monsters were Merlin children would look under their beds and get disappointed when he wasn't there... I sort of wish he was under my bed... Or in it... (looks around suspiciously) Hahaha... Got to love Shatner. I'm never forthright. I like my twists and turns. Hope you slept... You need to sleep before you read or else you won't understand... Learnt that the hard way. **Curly Wurly Me,** glad you liked it :)! **bubzchoc, **just want to say how appropriate I feel it was you were my hundredth reviewer. Thank you so much. **IndiaMoore, **more on Merlin's hunting skills later... I tried to write that at first but it makes more sense if I do it later... Can't tell why. :) UPDATED! :) **gorgeousangel, **Hahaha... Nice. At least I wasn't going crazy. Uther's turning a blind eye because he doesn't believe him to be Balinor's son. No one likes Arnold (not even me). He stirs up lots of trouble... And yeah... Gwen and Merlin. More in the chapter. **Distressed Clover,** Later on... :)

This chapter is dedicated the **Bundibird** who saw my username and thought to take a chance on my writing skills and then review every time she read a funny line. It was going to be dedicated to her _before_ I even knew she was reading just an fyi, simply because her appreciation of my FFname meant so much to me. I put a lot of thought into it, randomly. Just so you know, it was either going to be ** . .horror** or **EatTheDamnCookie** :) Also, I read you bio and you and I have the same problems when it comes to Dean Winchesters hair colour...

* * *

**The Court of the Lake**

Weeks had passed and Merlin and Gwen still hadn't spoken. It was quite awkward how they always managed to just avoid each other, both of them taking strange unspoken shift work for their duties where both Arthur and Morgana were present. Merlin had breakfasts with the king and Gwen took dinners and lunches. Merlin was there for council meetings and functions and Gwen had dance lessons.

In the meantime, Merlin found use of his extra-Gwen free time to read up and study all he could on this strange destiny of his and magic, which he especially did after he found a section of the library, sealed off to everyone by pure accident.

One day, he had been searching for a book for Gaius and it was on the top shelf of the stack. Unwilling to get Geoffrey to help him as he would most definitely receive a lecture of some sort about a history he didn't want to know about, Merlin climbed up to the top of the shelf himself, bracing his feet in the small gaps on the shelves and thanking the Gods for the first time that he was so skinny and nimble.

But he was also clumsy and had the hand eye coordination of a blind baby duck – on occasions. So when his foot slip, he shouldn't have been surprised and yelped. He did though and ended up catching his hand around the candelabra to his right and trying to grip that, only for it to collapse.

In surprise, Merlin let go of the wrought iron but at the same time, the bookshelf swung around and knocked him to the ground in a different room. One that he had never been in before or knew even existed. The entire thing was filled with a dust layer so thick that indicated no one had been there for decades at the least. Merlin sneezed half a dozen just as he stood up, the motes collecting in his nostrils and causing his eyes to water. When he finally got over the sneezing fit, he stood up and brushed himself off, looking around.

Inside there had been a box that rattled and he made sure he stayed far away from that. There was a chair like none other Merlin had ever seen. It was a long bench with thick soft padding on top and pillows decorating it and wide enough to be a bed. Parts of it were moth eaten but he saw it was salvageable. There was also a desk with an unlit oil lamp and another chair, more like Arthur's but worn down with age and disuse.

The entire room was covered wall to wall with books, and not just any books. Magic books. Like Gaius's chambers there was a small staircase along the wall that led up to a second floating level and there was a ladder along the wall.

It was like all his childhood dreams come true.

The room seemed completely abandoned and due to the nature of the books inside, Merlin realised that most people probably didn't even know if its existence. So he claimed it as his own and decided that it was just for him. A sanctuary of sorts, to practice and read about magic.

It took him two weeks to properly finish cleaning the room. He left cleaning supplies in the room during the night so he wouldn't have to sneak them passed Geoffrey during the day and on all his breaks, worked on the room until he could inhabit it without a cloth over his nose.

He kept the box in a far corner and stopped the rattling by weighing it down. He didn't trust it enough to actually try and opening it and thought maybe it was best to leave some secrets locked away and eventually found a closet door inside the small room and hid it away in there.

In his room, Merlin felt more himself as he was able to have a few hours of the day unattended and free to practice whatever magic he wished. He found _a lot_ of books on magic and books on lore and books on the Faeries and the Sidhe. Books written by Druids and books written by Knights of Camelot in the past that had _had magic_. There were also books on legends and depicting adventures that had not yet passed that seers predicted whilst looking into great viewing stones.

He touched the sketching's in one book with his forefinger, shaking slightly at the pictures of a king and a sorcerer, back to back and fighting off a nameless demon. For a moment he imagined them to be himself and Arthur, battling with sword and magic. He wondered if it could be true. If he could really one day change Arthur's mind totally about magic and help him restore it to the land.

Blinking away his fantasies, he looked back at the picture and snorted. The sorcerer in the picture wore a robe with stars etched into the fabric and the king looked nothing like Arthur, with his thick brown beard and a large crown. Merlin knew for a fact Arthur _hated_ wearing the crown because it gave him a headache.

One evening, Merlin had lost track of the time reading. The library had only a small window and he rarely looked up from the books he buried his head in. It wasn't until the waning light in the room meant he couldn't see the writing, did he look up from his position on the bench and his ears pulled back.

He had been sitting curled up and quite relaxed with pillows supporting him and his legs underneath him when it happened, and as he lunged himself off the bench in surprise, he fell forward with a clatter onto the ground.

"Shush!" he heard and Merlin froze on the floor, having heard the sound from outside the hidden door. "Did you hear that?"

Merlin's ears pulled back and he tried to recognise the familiar voice. "N-no, sir."

"Listen." Trying to be as silent as he could be, Merlin dragged his feet up from underneath himself and crept forward. "That!" the voice hissed and Merlin realised his feet had scraped on the ground as he stood. "What does that sound like to you, Jonathan?"

Merlin raked his brain through for the name Jonathan and frowned, having known so many Jonathan's. It was a very common serf name. "A… A mouse, sir?"

"A mouse…" There was a resounding slap noise and Merlin flinched for the man. "You said he came this way."

"Yes sir."

"And he comes this way everyday?"

"Yes sir. Every time he has a break. I've tried to figure out where he disappears to but… I can't figure it out, sir. One minute he's there and the next minute, he's not. I lose him every time."

"How do you lose him? You only have one job. How do you fail it?"

"I'm most sorry, sir."

_Sir… He's talking to a Knight. _Merlin's eyes widened in horror. _Sir Arnold_. "He isn't just disappearing. If he was, he could do it from any point in the castle. There is a reason he keeps coming to the library to vanish. Maybe he has created a portal or… Jonathan?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Have you ever noticed the dust on the ground before?"

Merlin thought of how silly a question that was. Quite proudly he looked down at his feet and saw not a speck of dust below him. _When I first got here, I was leaving white foot pri…_ He looked down at his feet and then followed his eye line to the door. There he saw the light smudges on the ground from where the secret door had been sliding open. There was no longer a thick layer of dust on his side of the door, but no one cared for the libraries side of his room but Geoffrey and the man hardly ever cleaned judging by the age old cobwebs on his own personal candles.

_Idiot! _he cursed himself. There was a light knock on the back of the bookshelf on the library side, the front door of Merlin's room. Before he could realise what he was doing, his magic worked on instinct and locked the doors from the inside just as a dull _thunk_ told him Arnold tried, without success, to yank the candelabra.

"Sir Arnold?" Jonathan asked hesitantly and then there was a yelp as the servant was obviously hit. "You idiot. He isn't here. Go find him and follow him closer!"

"Yes sir."

There was a scuttle and then harsh angry breaths on the other side of the door. As quietly as he could, Merlin crept over to the door and pressed his ear against it to hear Arnold's mutterings. "…smarted by a child. Honestly, is there _no one_ in this kingdom with a scrap of intelligence?" His voice started disappearing as his footfalls echoed away.

Merlin waited until he was plunged into complete darkness and slowly unlocked the door, a _click_ sliding the bolts back into place. He opened the door and exited, careful to create a magical dust storm over the doorway to cover his tracks and then locked it behind him with the same magic.

Then he scurried out and to the kitchens, then straight to Arthur's room. The entire way he felt an unnerving feeling he hadn't noticed he'd been experiencing since Arthur's birthday. It was the feeling of being watched.

Sir Arnold was having him watched.

"You're horrendously late Merlin." Arthur commented as he entered, the prince not even turning around to greet him. Merlin was thankful, not wanting Arthur to see him white and shaking.

He wondered if he should tell Arthur about Arnold having him followed, but then he would have to explain how he found out. "Dinner, sire." Merlin realised his mistake almost immediately as Arthur's head snapped up at the show of obedience. Merlin only ever called Arthur 'sire' if he was joking or emotionally distressed.

He started to smile, but it was too late. "What's happened?"

"Nothing…"

"_Mer_lin."

He softened his feature and grinned. "Really. Nothing. I'm just tired."

"From what? I haven't seen you all day. My armour hasn't been polished, my clothes haven't been washed, my room most definitely wasn't cleaned…" As Arthur started to ramble, he forgot about Merlin's sudden use of titles and got madder. Merlin could deal with that. An angry Arthur was a fairly normal Arthur, and whilst he heard the chores rattle off and the list become larger Merlin was thankful for once.

He would have enough distractions to keep him from his room long enough that maybe his new stalker would lose interest in the library.

* * *

Merlin and Gwen hadn't seen each other between hiding from one another and no one had noticed the two of their intricate dance until Arthur and Morgana happened to decide to take a ride out and drag both servants with them without telling said servants. "Arthur?" Merlin hissed as they approached the stables where Morgana was already sitting on her horse. "Where are we going?"

At first he had been keen to get out of the castle in hopes that Sir Arnold's sneak would follow him and maybe he'd see him. The man was quite sneaky it seemed for whilst Merlin could feel his presence, he couldn't ever catch him in his sights. But in the forest, out in the open and on horses… he wouldn't stand a chance.

However with _Gwen_ there… Merlin felt uneasy and nervous.

"Well, as I'm a knight now, I can leave Camelot with a minimal guard and I can be a lone guard on Morgana's pilgrimage to her father's grave." Arthur said quite boastfully. "But we're not actually going on pilgrimage, unless of course you ask my father. We've got guests coming to Camelot and this is the last time we can get out of the castle before my father forces us to play nice with King Bagdemagus' children." Arthur made a face.

"I'm guessing we don't like them."

"King Bagdemagus is fine but his son and daughter are pompous know-it-all's who have tried constantly try to best everyone including each other. I swear, those two constantly need a mediator to ensure they don't kill each other. I'm sure there have been attempts on each others lives made by the other, if the rumours are anything to go by."

Merlin looked at Arthur sceptically, then at Morgana and wondered if he knew how the two of them argued. One day he had to separate them after an extremely heated argument over who was the better archer turned deadly and Arthur was pulling Morgana's hair whilst she was digging her nails deep enough into his arm to draw blood.

"That must be hell to deal with." he muttered but was drawn back to the problem at hand.

Gwen's eyes flickered up and Merlin saw her catch sight of him then gasp and step back. Arthur and Morgana both paused and looked as Gwen stuttered, "S-Sire." she bowed awkwardly at Arthur then turned her back to them to whisper something at Morgana. Merlin knew the two of them were having a similar conversation to what he and Arthur had just had.

"Did you bring everything I told you to?" Arthur asked. With a huffed sigh, he nodded and resigned himself to spending a day with Gwen and judging by her face, she had come up with the same conclusion.

The four of them mounted their horses and took off out of Camelot, making it as far as the gates before Arthur turned at a sulking Merlin and narrowed his eyes. "Don't look so disappointed _Mer_lin. We're actually doing something fun for a change. I thought you'd be the happiest." Arthur rolled his eyes. "Next time I'll organise for you to muck out the stables. In fact, as punishment for being so gloomy you can do that as soon as we get back."

Gwen looked up frantically and then at Merlin, catching his eye for a second before turning back to her own horse's neck. Merlin was doing something similar, only looking back to see if he could see his new shadow, creeping up behind him but though Merlin felt the eyes, he could not see who they belonged to.

About half way into the darkling forest, Gwen asked, "Where are we going?"

Morgana turned her head and frowned. After a moment her eyes widened in surprise. "That's right. Arthur and I haven't been here for years. This was before even your time, Gwen."

Arthur slowed his horse down slightly so he could speak to Gwen. "Before Sir Goloris passed, Morgana would stay in the castle with us when he was out at war. Whenever we could, we'd sneak out of the castle with another noblemen's son and his serving boy, Flynn."

"He wasn't his serving boy. Flynn was much older than us. If you're going to tell the story, tell it right." Morgana rolled her eyes dramatically and Merlin wanted to point out this was one of the many ways they fought. "When we had days of vacation, Flynn used to sneak us out of the castle and take us to this lake. It's a small journey from here and no one goes there. We used to swim and play for hours on end until he had to take us back."

"Who was the nobleman's son?" Merlin asked.

Morgana looked at Arthur and his lips twitched. "Sir Kay. He was just knighted last summer, actually." he answered primly.

"Isn't he in Sir Arnold's patrol?" Gwen guessed.

Arthur nodded stiffly then squeezed his ankles around his horse and got him to trot faster. Morgana looked back between Merlin and Gwen as Arthur resumed his strange behaviour far ahead and just out of hearing distance. "Sir Kay and Arthur were raised like brothers until his father and Uther had a falling out and now they are expressly forbidden to see each other."

"Brothers?" Merlin frowned. "Why?"

Morgana's eyes turned dark and her face grew sad. "Slaves are asked to nurse the babes of noblewomen because a mother can't be seen raising her child. When the king couldn't be seen holding his son, Sir Ector and Gaius were called in." Her face hardened a little and then softened again when she sighed and let go of all her stress. "It's one thing Arthur will never forgive Uther for. Removing Sir Ector's knighthood for whatever disagreement they had was an act of betrayal to Arthur.

"My father tried to convince Uther to do otherwise, or to at least let Arthur still communicate with the two but he was determined. Arthur even asked when he grew older for Uther to give Ector his retirement, but there was an argument. Now, they can't mention anything to do with Sir Ector without Arthur getting confined to his chambers."

"I still don't get it." Gwen said. "Arthur loves his father."

"Of course he _loves_ his father. Doesn't mean he necessarily likes him and what he does. I don't know _much_ about it, just what my father told me, but apparently when Arthur's mother died Uther allowed himself to be swept up by the Great Purge and Gaius and Ector took pity on Arthur and became his surrogate father's of sorts. But Ector had a son of his own for Arthur to play with so he was with the knight more than he was with Gaius."

Morgana frowned. "It's strange, they live in the same castle but never speak under fear that Uther will banish Ector once and for all. I always thought it was cruel of Uther to do.

"That was how he became friends with Leon, by chance. Leon used to _hate_ Arthur. But Kay begged Leon to look after him. Swore an oath and everything. I know because I was there." Morgana looked a little proud with that fact. "Kay was supposed to be watching me for my father and dragged me out to find Leon. When Leon realised Arthur had a knack for swords was when _they_ became friends. Again, I was there."

Merlin smirked, "Do you know these things because you care or because you enjoy knowing everything?"

She mocked offence and then giggled.

"Are you three coming or gossiping like milkmaids?" Arthur shouted out from ahead. The three thirteen year olds looked up at Arthur who was a long way ahead of them, looking grumpy. They rushed their horses to catch up with him and Arthur glared. "You know, if you two wanted to know about Sir Kay, you could have just asked. I would have told you."

"No. You wouldn't have." Morgana interrupted. Arthur just rolled his eyes.

They reached the lake in question and Merlin though it was beautiful. It was sat underneath a horizon of mountains and wild flowers grew everywhere. Close by there was a small abandoned boat, just sitting on top of the waves. Arthur grinned. "Brilliant, isn't it?"

Merlin was too awe struck to agree. "Come on then."

It took a while for Merlin and Gwen to unpack as Morgana and Arthur looked around and discovered relics of their childhood. The boat, apparently, was Flynn's and it was a miracle no one had stolen it.

Before Merlin could make sense of the boat still being there after how many years, he heard Morgana shout out, "I found it!"

Arthur went over and looked at the tree Morgana was proudly staring at. It had Arthur and Morgana's initials engraved in it, as well as Sir Kay's. Merlin approached them from behind, inspecting the etchings and tilted his head to the side. "What's your full name, Morgana?" Merlin asked.

Morgana turned to face him, one eyebrow raised. "Le Fay." she said with a small smile. "Morgana Le Fay. What about yours?"

Merlin winced and shook his head. "Just Merlin. I don't know if my father had another name."

Arthur shifted uncomfortably, staring intently at the carvings. Merlin frowned a bit at this then Morgana interrupted, "What about your mother? Did she not have another name?"

He thought about it for a second then nodded. "Ugh… Yes, I think so… Um… My cousins name is…" He squeezed his face together to remember and everyone watched him patiently. "Adhan, I think… Yeah, Adhan. So I suppose that was her last name, though she never used it. In a village as small as mine there's no need."

Morgana stood up tall, looking very official and found a stick around the edge of the water. "Then I, Morgana Le Fay, christen you Merlin Adhan... Ugh… he needs an official title of some sort." Morgana looked to Arthur who just shrugged.

"Knight of Falls-over-a-lot?"

She whacked Arthur with the stick and he yelped. "Idiot."

"How about just Knight of Ealdor?" Gwen offered. They all looked at her and Merlin turned as red as the tomatoes that were thrown at him in the stocks. "I mean, he did save them all and he did…" she trailed off and their eyes caught. Only Morgana didn't know Merlin's true part in disappearance of Hannah and Arthur had no idea of Gwen's role. He wanted to keep it that way to keep both girls safe from Uther, should he ever find out. "He did turn Arthur into less of a prat."

Arthur's jaw dropped. "_Guinevere!_" Merlin and Morgana both wore matching grins at Gwen's blatant disregard for royalty.

"It's true." Morgana said, pouting her bottom lip out. "None of us could stand you before Merlin showed up. But he needs to be inducted into _our_ court. So, as I was saying." she cleared her throat. "I christen you Merlin Adhan, Court Physician of the Lake. We don't have one of those yet."

"Court physician?" Merlin questioned.

"The lake?" Gwen went on.

"Aren't you training to be one? And Gwen's right. You healed your village and fixed Arthur. And yes. The lake is our Court."

Arthur pulled his sword from his belt and slammed it into the dirt. "When we were children we used to say the Lake was our kingdom. I was king, obviously. Morgana was the Queen, though not through marriage…" he made a face as though marrying Morgana was some sort of curse. "Kay was the head knight. That's why our initials are in the tree. It was stupidly where we carved the official court documents."

Merlin and Gwen peered at the boat again and saw next to Arthur's initials was a small king's crown and beside that was Morgana's, was the more feminine version. Beside the initials KS with a knights helmet and then FB with a court jesters hat. "It was honestly the only other thing we knew how to carve." Morgana confessed when she saw Merlin staring. She withdrew a dagger and went closer to the tree.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked.

Morgana looked up at her stepbrother as though he was daft. "I'm adding Merlin to the list, obviously."

Arthur glared at her. "It's just something stupid we used to do as children. Not an official document."

She turned sadly to the tree again, touching the bark softly. "It was official when we were children."

After a moment, Arthur grunted and took the dagger from Morgana's hand. "Fine. But I get to engrave it because you were _always_ hopeless when it came to carving neatly. And give Gwen a title whilst you're at it. Everyone who comes to the Lake gets a title. Remember that law?"

Morgana grabbed Gwen's hand and dragged her over, looking her up and down. "Hmm… You could be a Princess."

"I get Court physician and she get's a princess?" Merlin scoffed.

Morgana sighed. "Yes, you're right. It doesn't seem completely fair, does it?" She took her stick and pressed it over Gwen's shoulders. "I name thee Guinevere Leodegrance, Princess of the Lake." Merlin stared indignantly as Gwen giggled.

"I'm no princess, milady."

"At the lake you are. Now come on. I wish to see what else has changed." She grabbed Gwen's hand and dragged her off a little way into the forest.

Arthur concentrated on carving Merlin's name and a small round physicians hat beside Merlin's initials and then wrote Gwen's too, giving her a smaller crown than Morgana's. "There." he said, a proud smile on his face. When he turned to Merlin and saw the knowing smirk on his face and realised his servant had noticed his obvious childhood glee. "Shut up, Merlin."

The two started exploring and Arthur took out his crossbow to hunt something. "Why are you hunting?" Merlin asked, picking berries and other things. "We have plenty of food."

"Yes, but no meat." Arthur argued. "We need meat."

"You just want an excuse to kill some poor defenceless animal."

"Animal's have defences!" Arthur objected, then turned back to the wildlife. "Just not very good ones." He added in a quiet mutter. Arthur had indeed taking him hunting and Merlin hadn't let him kill anything, always conveniently dropping something, falling over or sneezing to chase away his prey.

"You're cruel." Merlin objected, turning back to his foraging. He'd found many ingredients Gaius would be interested in and packed them away in his own satchel. While he was busy trying to determine whether the flowers he'd come by were poisonous or not, Merlin heard a small _twang_ followed by a sickening _thck_ sound. He turned and saw Arthur proudly lifting up a hare, bloodied and marred. "You _killed_ it." Merlin gasped. "You actually killed it."

"That's what one does when they're hunting for meat they're going to eat." Arthur said. "I mean, you do eat meat, don't you Merlin?"

He gaped a little, unable to speak. He stared at the poor creature and huffed. "You didn't have to kill it. I brought more than enough food."

"But no meat."

"There's salted meat!"

Arthur made a face. "Fresh meat is better. You'll see." Merlin and Arthur made their way back to the camp and Merlin spotted the girls. He and Gwen made awkward eye contact then quickly looked away. _This will be a long day…_

* * *

As the boys returned from their forage in the woods, Morgana and Gwen had already gotten a fire going and had proven Gwen's skills with flint were almost as good as those of a blacksmith. She warmed her hands over the flames. Unfortunately the day had not been warmer for them to swim, but just being by the lake was good enough for now.

Morgana noticed Arthur and Merlin as they entered the clearing but Gwen only did as they approached the fire. When she spotted Merlin she stiffened and looked anywhere but the village boy.

Everything clicked.

For the first time, Morgana noticed it was Merlin that was making Gwen jumpy and her heart jumped into her throat as she recognised such blushes. The reason why Gwen was so adamant about her schedules lately and keeping on top of things as well as why she avoiding breakfasts. The two of them were avoiding each other. _They like each other…_ she thought, panic and jealousy fluttering through her.

There was no chance Morgana's own feelings towards the poor and awkward village boy would let die. She tried to stifle them when she first saw him, stumbling and drunken with illness in the physicians chambers.

Her stomach had flipped and all normal thought rushed out the window. Despite the social standing or the utter ridiculousness of it all, Morgana wanted to rush over and embrace him, hug him and giggle with him. She wanted to hold his hand and kiss him. Never in her life had she wanted to _kiss_ a boy before.

So she tried to keep her feelings secret from all but him, making deliberate passes. She was the Kings ward after all and was highly aware of just how pretty she was. Many squires and even a few of the younger knights had asked her to dance on many occasions. Merlin should have been fawning over her.

But _Gwen_.

_Stop being a brat, Morgana. Gwen is your best friend!_

_But Merlin…_ She stared at him and wondered what she found so endearing about him. He was a clumsy peasant boy with ears far to big for his head, gangly and now too tall to tame himself. It seemed he was all arms and legs and couldn't control either. He had no finesse and was unable to fight but at the same time he was _amazing_ and _brave_ and so idiotic it made Morgana laugh happily.

She ignored her feelings for the rest of the afternoon, choosing to instead follow Gwen and Merlin's lack of interaction and nervous mumbling whenever they were forced to speak. She glared a little. Morgana had always had a problem restraining her emotions, but she _couldn't_ be upset with this.

By all means, Gwen and Merlin would make the perfect couple. In fact, marrying Merlin would mean Gwen would always have a home in Camelot seeing as Merlin was training to be a physician and Arthur would most likely employ him as Court Physician when he was king.

_Was that why she liked him? Because she can marry him? _It wasn't completely unreasonable. Gwen was three years shy of the marrying age. Morgana herself had many suitors, but she hadn't thought that the only one she wanted would be the only one she couldn't have.

They got back to the castle near dusk, slightly muddied but not enough for Uther to notice. The boys left to go towards Arthur's chambers and Morgana and Gwen headed back to hers. They walked back in silence, Morgana still thinking about Merlin and didn't hear Gwen speak until she was standing right in front of her. "Morgana?"

She jumped a bit and realised she was sitting at her vanity, with Morgana hovering beside her nervously. "Sorry?" she frowned a bit. "Was lost in thought."

"I was just commenting on how good the day was." Gwen said quietly. _For Arthur maybe, _Morgana thought spitefully. _You and Merlin were acting like frightened rabbits around each other and I was too busy noticing to have fun. _She felt a little sour about making Gwen a princess of the lake. "Are you alright?"

Morgana stared down at her mirror and then back up at Gwen. "Are you and Merlin courting?" she blurted out and two seconds later she realised maybe she should listen more to Helena's lessons on tact.

Gwen turned bright red and then squeaked. "What? No. Why? Did he say something? Oh no." she raised her hands up to her face. "What have I done?"

Morgana leant forward then pulled back when she realised she looked like her Aunt Patrice and the gossiping women at her afternoon's teas. "What _have _you done?"

Shifting precariously from foot to foot, Gwen eventually grabbed a chair from Morgana's dining table and sat across from her mistress. "It was after Arthur's birthday and he and I were both upset about what happened with Mary and Gregory. We went for a walk and spent the afternoon together and he thanked me for looking after him while he was unconscious and I… I…" she closed her eyes and groaned.

Morgana couldn't take it. "What did you do?"

Gwen gasped and pulled her face in her hands, curling her feet up on the seat. "I _kissed_ _him!_"

The king's ward fell off her chair. Literally, _fell_. "Morgana!" As Gwen knelt down to help her up, Morgana clutched her arms to pull herself up.

"_Then _what?"

Gwen swallowed and shrugged. "I… I don't know. I apologised and ran into my home."

"You apologised?" Both girls were standing. "Was it that bad?"

"What? No." Gwen shook her head. "Honestly, it last less than a second."

Morgana frowned. "Well that's not a _kiss_. That's nothing. I've kissed Arthur for less than a second."

Gwen made a face. "You _kissed Arthur_?"

"When we were little. I think I was five. That's the kind of kiss you gave Merlin right? A five-year-old kiss. Because that doesn't count as a kiss."

Blushing, Gwen nodded furiously and groaned. "I ruined _everything_." she fell back into her seat and Morgana reached out and patted her shoulder as Gwen started to cry.

It wasn't a good feeling, what she felt now. Morgana didn't feel good in knowing Gwen was upset over this. It didn't make her happy or bring her any relief. Instead, she was actually hoping that maybe her best friend did find an awkward love with Merlin, if only to make her happy again. "Did he kiss you back?"

She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "I don't know. I got scared and I ran. I didn't want to know if he rejected me." She burned red as Morgana's hand came to rest on her cheek.

"Well you didn't give him time to actually think about it. Maybe now he thinks that you believe it was a mistake." she said hopefully. "If you really like him…"

"I don't know if I do." she cut Morgana off. "I've just… I've never had a friend apart from you." Morgana fell quiet and stared at Gwen sadly. The two of them had been friends for three years now and before that, Morgana had always seen her rushing around after Elyan as he followed Leon. "I _really_ like Merlin but I don't know if it's just because he's the first boy whose paid attention to me or if I really like him."

Morgana straightened up. "Do you know what you need?"

Gwen frowned. "What?"

"To relax."

With a moan, Gwen shook her head. "Oh, Morgana _no_… If Helena finds out, it's my job, not yours."

"She won't find out. Come on. You get the swords, I'll go send signal Olivia and we can practice until dinner." Morgana grinned as Gwen started smiling a little. "See! It's already working."

With that, Morgana went out and found the closest guard. "Can you please send message to Sir Bedivere's daughter's maid, Olivia that Helena has been given the afternoon off?" The guard nodded and went on his way.

If nothing else, Morgana was resourceful and even if Merlin and Gwen fell madly in love, she would always have that over both of them.

* * *

"_Merlin… Merlin…_" Merlin shot out of bed and sat up, sweat dripping from him. He looked around the room and then groaned, tilting his head back. Carefully he tried to sense if he was being watched and felt no eyes on him in the present, so got out of bed.

After twenty minutes, he finally managed to sneak passed all the guards and picked up the torch near the top of the stairs before climbing down to the pit where the dragon was waiting for him. "Honestly, you need to start learning new party tricks." he said, peering up at the dragon who came down and landed in front of him.

"Merlin." The dragon said warningly. "There is a prince coming to Camelot with his sister. Maleagant and Camille. They are the children of one of Camelot's greatest allies in the future. King Bagdemagus will aid Arthur in one of his life's greatest challenges."

Shifting from foot to foot Merlin asked, "So why am I here?"

"Maleagant is not his father. He is not fond of Arthur, Uther, Camelot or his sister." The Dragon bowed his head down and looked deep into Merlin's eyes. "Should he cause any misgivings, all future alliances with Bagdemagus will be ruined as well as all chances of winning the war."

Merlin frowned. "What war?"

"The war that shall decide not only Arthur's fate, but the fate of the entirety of Camelot."

"You enjoy riddles, don't you?"

"Merlin, listen to me." The dragon leant forward and Merlin could feel his hot breath blow over him like a stormy wind. "You must ensure that neither Maleagant or Camille cause Arthur harm and at the same time, ensure the peace between the kingdoms. If you do not–"

"There will be no chance of winning the war." Merlin droned. "I get it, I do. But, how am I supposed to defend Arthur from a prince?"

The dragon smirked. "How did you defend Arthur from a Warlock thrice your age?"

The v-shaped frown on Merlin's forehead deepened further. "Ahmet was a Warlock?"

"They are more common across the seas than in Albion, but none are, or ever will be as powerful as you."

There was a sense of fear brewing in his stomach. "Maleagant is going to do something, even if I stop Arthur from being the victim, isn't he?"

"It is up to you, Merlin." The Dragon pulled away. "Your destiny or your loyalty?" The dragon took flight and went heavenward, leaving the raven-haired boy glaring at the ceiling.

"Why can't I have both?"

"One day, young Warlock. You will." the voice echoed out over the cavern until all the reflections were an inaudible blur.

Merlin just shook his head, thinking that if he had been told back in Ealdor he would be taking instructions from an oversized golden lizard that had the potential to breath fire, he wouldn't have told them they were crazy. _Maybe I'm just crazy. Arthur would agree._

He went back up to his chambers, most adept at sneaking back through the castle without being noticed. He got into bed and snuck under his covers, dragging them over his head and then shoving his pillow on his face.

Merlin screamed, muffling his own cries until he was out of breath. Then, he slammed the pillow down on his chest and stared at the ceiling. Maleagant was coming in the morning and he had no idea what he was supposed to do and less of an idea of what he was supposed to prevent _or_ what he was supposed to do about his new stalking friend.

_Maybe I was better off in Ealdor where they wanted to kill me… It seems a lot easier in comparison._

* * *

**A/N: **I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter... I think because parts of it felt filler-ish but it's important filler information I tells ya!

Review, Danke Schön :)


	22. Ill Doing and Ill Coming

**A/N: **So, for those of you paying attention... I'm attempting to upload this entire thing, from my iPhone. It means I can write on the train and whilst I'm walking because I'm a 95% accurate blind typer. But, everyone has moments in their life when they're frustrated with technology and I _may_ or _may not have_ deleted The Other Version of Events... from my phone... :/ To explain, I'd written a hec of a few one-shots and placed them on a timeline that made sense and then expanded a lot of them to make connections between... They're all gone.

I DO HAVE A BACK UP! I'm just trying to extract it from the phones back up drive on my laptop. My brother told me it is doable... My mother called me an idiot.

But, in the meantime...

**mrlnfan, **love you for the review. Here is your update. :) **Distressed Clover,** once I posted the story I realised my reply may not sound write... 'Later on...' was my way of saying 'Later on...' was now... Like a time lapse thing... LoL :) **Curly Wurly Me,** my favourite scenes have always been the ones where Merlin tells off the Kilgarrah or complains about Kilgarrah, simply because I find stuffy people hilarious... **Bundibird,** hahaha... Well, here to interrupt yet another Friday night... Your mental timeline is in sync with mine. It comes out slowly... I randomly started this as an 'Arthur and Merlin meet in different circumstances' fic but then it kind of just ran away with itself and I know what happens but I didn't expect it and now I'm like, "Yes! I want to write that!" So it's now also a 'Merlin's past' fic. :) **bubzchoc,** why thank you. :)

Now... onwards!

* * *

**Ill Doing and Ill Coming**

Merlin decided right away that he agreed with Arthur and didn't like Maleagant. Even if Arthur had never mentioned the fact he hated Maleagant and even if the dragon had never said he was going to attack him, Merlin decided he hated the Prince of the Anglia purely because he looked slimy.

Firstly, he was twenty at the least and kept staring at Morgana like she was some sort of prize. And when he wasn't staring at Morgana, he was watching the serving girls, especially Gwen, with some amount of lust. He didn't like that one bit and from the disdain on Arthur's face, neither did the prince. Then, every now and then, he would glare at Arthur like he stole his most prized possession and burnt it in front of him.

Normally, Merlin knew Arthur could take care of himself. However now with the dragon and knowledge of his destiny, he wasn't so sure and he felt an overwhelming responsibility to shy Arthur away from whatever evils this new prince was going to cause his friend and master.

"Ah, Bagdemagus, you look well." Uther greeted, the two men embracing and patting backs in a purely manly kingly manner that showed just how much the two hated embracing.

Arthur and Merlin exchanged smirks, thinking the same thing and Morgana stamped on his foot beneath her skirt and put on a large smile when Arthur rose his foot up so he could clutch it in pain. "Arthur and Morgana, you remember King Bagdemagus?" Uther stepped back to allow Bagdemagus greet them and Arthur quickly shuffled into order as Merlin stepped back in line with Gwen and Helena.

"And you two of course remember Maleagant and Camille."

The daughter of Bagdemus was definitely from the same breed of whatever Maleagant was. She was younger than her brother, possibly Arthur's age and had a pinched face from under eating and one of the tiny waists Morgana's aunt kept talking to her about. Like her brother she had dark hair, tied in red ribbons down her neck and dark intense eyes that burned like coal as she intently stared at Arthur.

The greetings were strained between the children of the kings and as soon as they were over, Arthur and Morgana spun to go back inside, Gwen and Merlin on their heels and Helena not far behind. "Arthur! Morgana." Uther called and both prince and ward froze and turned to face the king. "Your maid and manservant can attend to the Prince and Princess this evening, can they not?"

Arthur and Morgana exchanged matching looks of disdain but then turned back to the king and bowed. "Of course, milord." Morgana replied.

"It would be Merlin's honour." Arthur said with a large grin on his face. "Merlin, collect the prince's things." Arthur said with a strained voice.

He glanced at Gwen for the first time all morning and she looked just as worried as he did. The two of them helped the royal children up to their chambers, carrying their belongings one by one up the many staircases of Camelot. They were apparently staying for the week and had brought chests of items with them, many Merlin knew they wouldn't need like their dozens of history books _and_ their own collection of bookends.

But he couldn't say anything and had learnt not to speak in any noble's presence but Arthur, Morgana and a few of the knights who actually liked him. As of late he'd been finding it hard to speak in general though, afraid of slipping up and the ever-present eyes that watched him would report something back to Arnold.

He lost track of Gwen for a while as the two of them helped set up their temporary masters chambers at different rates, but caught her near the end as he was lugging up the last of the chests into the room, dragging it along the ground. "That's bigger than you." Gwen commented.

Merlin looked surprised by the fact she was actually talking to him but then just smiled, leaning on top of his load. "It is. I had to get Leon and Pellinore to bring it up the stairs for me but then Uther was walking passed and they had to run."

"I had Elyan." Gwen grinned. "He's waiting around the corner for me. I still have a few more dress cases to bring up." They fell into a strange silence and her smile faltered as both began to panic at not knowing what to say next.

Merlin straightened up and dusted himself off. "I can… I can help you if you want."

Gwen hesitated then nodded nervously. "O-Okay."

He beamed. "Great! I mean… Good. I mean… I've missed you Gwen." He blushed and so did she but before anything more could come of it, they were rudely interrupted.

"Martin!" Merlin jumped and turned his head and saw Prince Maleagant glaring at him. "Really, you're holding me up."

"Sorry sire." Merlin, ducked his head and shot Gwen a withering look before continuing to serve the visiting prince.

Merlin had to admit he had it fairly easy when it came to Arthur. The prince told him what to do and then let him do it, always judging the fact he didn't do a good enough job but never making him go back and do it again or change anything. He would just saying something along the lines of, "Honestly Merlin," roll his eyes and continue on his way.

But Maleagant wasn't one of those princes or nice masters. When he fell he didn't effortlessly catch him as Arthur had since the boys had first met. In fact, once when he knelt down after dropping a particularly heavy set of armour, Maleagant had kicked him up the arse just to get him back up. "Are all servants this useless in Camelot?" he demanded and then his face turned into a sneer. "Or just the love struck ones?"

Merlin thought back to his encounter with Gwen and _almost_ rolled his eyes. He held back only to say, "Sorry milord." and bow and quickly finish setting up the princes collection of objects from his kingdom.

It took Merlin most of the day to finish assisting the unruly prince, then he helped get him ready for the banquet with the King's, Arthur, Morgana and the unfortunate Camille. When Merlin exited the room after Maleagant he saw Gwen leaving the princesses chambers looking just as tired as him.

He mimed hanging himself and Gwen chuckled. The prince and princess both turned and glared at the servants who wiped the smiles off their faces and looked absolutely serious. "Prince Arthur seems nice." Camille finally said, turning her head forward again and continuing their walk.

"He seems a proper breed." Maleagant drawled, though he didn't look like he agreed with his own words.

Merlin stuck his tongue out and the foreign royals and Gwen lightly hit him. "_Be respectful._" she mouthed. "_Or else…_" she mimed the knife across her neck and dramatically rolled her tongue out. Merlin grinned and stifled his laughter.

"I hope negotiations go well. I could see myself being here more often." Princess Camille looked over her shoulder and glared harshly at Gwen. "Though the help could be improved upon."

"Agreed." Maleagant shot Merlin a scornful look too and then the two entered the chambers. Leon and Sir Frenwyn stood guard on the door and Leon winked at Merlin as he walked through.

Arthur spotted Merlin and looked him over, satisfied there wasn't anything wrong with him that he could see. Once his visual check was cleared, he raised his eyebrow questioningy. Merlin smirked back and then took his place by the wall. Arthur rolled his eyes.

The feast came out and Bagdemagus and Uther got on famously, the King of the foreign land sitting at Morgana's usual spot with Maleagant sitting where Arthur normally sat. Arthur looked annoyed by this, especially when he was placed between Maleagant and Camille and Morgana looked content by herself beside the friendly Bagdemagus.

The conversation went on with Merlin, Gwen, Helena and Cedric, Uther's personal manservant, attending the royal diners. When Merlin leant over to pour Arthur more 'wine', which he now readily disguised as ale knowing the prince still wasn't accustomed to the taste of wine, he was slipped a note into his jacket pocket.

He turned his head and looked at Arthur briefly and the prince signalled for Merlin to stop pouring and go away. He did, and in his corner of the room slid the note from his pocket and read it.

_After you've finished attending to Prince Maleficus, come to my chambers. I need help. Bring food. Arthur_

He looked at the banquet in front of the prince and rolled his eyes. _Of course Prince Prat would want to eat more after this._ Then he did a double take at the letter as he read the name _Maleficus_.

He knew that in Latin the name directly translated into _Ill Doing_, because some of the books Gaius had given him growing up were written in the Roman script, but he had no idea _Arthur_ knew that.

_But Maleficus has another meaning, doesn't it? _He frowned a little. _Wizard…_

He ignored the stone in his stomach and next time he served Arthur something he just nodded to the prince. He hadn't been paying attention to the topic of conversation until he heard himself being addressed. Well… sort of. "I hope thus far the castle has provided you with all the comforts of your own kingdom." Uther said to the Prince and Princess, his face filled with rare warmth.

"Yes, the rooms are quite nice. The servant, Martin, he worked at an acceptable rate. Though he needs training. A lot of training." Maleagant said.

Arthur bristled a little. "Well, _Merlin_ isn't a serving boy by trade. He's a farmer." Merlin's eyebrow shot up. Farmer was a very big exaggeration of his duties back in Ealdor. He watched cows once when everyone else was dead or dying and attempted to carry barrels of hay a few times to impress Fenny – though it never worked because he couldn't actually lift a barrel of hay – but that was about all Merlin had in the experience of farming.

"Then how did he end up waiting on the Prince?" Maleagant demanded, his nose scrunching up in disdain.

Uther cleared his throat. "His mother, Hunith was one of Ygraine's midwives and I believe he is a future physician, training under Gaius." Merlin blinked in surprise. His mother had helped deliver _Arthur_? Why hadn't she told him? "He was given the role of Arthur's manservant as he was in need of a job for money and thus far has remained in my son's employment the longest, a miracle in itself. I apologise for forgetting that he is not properly trained. If you wish for another servant, then I shall request one."

Maleagant turned his nose up and proudly huffed. "No. I suppose if _Arthur_ has kept him in employment for this long, he must be good for something."

Bagdemagus was staring at Merlin intently then back at Uther. "Hunith? Surely you cannot mean this is _Hunith's _son?"

There was a flash of something on Uther's face Merlin couldn't describe then he nodded. "According to Gaius, he is."

With a large smile, Bagdemagus turned to Merlin. "Come here boy. Let me look at you." Merlin gulped and approached the cheerful king, but was still wary as Uther had that strange look on his face. "Boy, I knew your mother. What is your name again?"

"M-Merlin." he answered, shooting Arthur a strained look. But not even he could help him now.

"Hunith." Bagdemagus repeated her name happily. "How is your mother? Is she in Camelot?"

"No." he replied easily. "She lives in Ealdor. She is the physician of sorts there so… I came here alone."

"A physician in training. With Gaius? I must remember to visit. I have not seen the old man in years." Bagdemus looked Merlin up and down. "You must be impressive for him to chose you to train. Even if you are Hunith's son, he was always quite picky with his apprentices. Maybe you will even be Court Physician in Arthur's court and your years as a manservant will have paid off in a promotion." Arthur smiled proudly and Merlin just let his ears turn red and studied the floor intently. "What do you think of him Camille?" Bagdemus looked to his daughter. "Do you think this boy would make a good physician?"

Camille looked Merlin up and down, probably noting the boys scruffy hair and young age. "He doesn't look much of a physician, does he? Really, how can I know if I do not see him heal something?"

Bagdemus laughed and nodded. "I agree. A demonstration perhaps? Only if you allow it, of course Uther."

Merlin wanted to start shaking his head but Uther shot him a stare that made him freeze in his place. "Yes, of course Bagdemagus. Marvin."

He looked heavenward and whispered under his breath, "_Merlin_." The king remembered his mother's name it seemed, but his? He mentally rolled his eyes, knowing that if he actually did it would be the stocks.

Leon shot him an encouraging look at least while Gwen watched with fear in her eyes and Arthur with apprehension. Morgana just looked downright curious. "What ailment do you have, milord?" Merlin said, keeping the quiver from his voice. Uther nodded at the jug in his hand and Merlin quickly put the item down as not to be rude.

"Well, none at the moment." Bagdemagus laughed. "But I ask for a suppositional question. Do you know what that means, boy?"

Merlin nodded then answered, "Something hypothetical."

Bagdemagus beamed. "Exactly like his mother, he is. Now let me think…"

Gaius had done this to him once or twice. Quizzed him over dinner with theoretical questions on patients. He usually killed said theoretical patients or at the very least made them worse until a theoretical Gaius stepped in. "A man has a great fever that has inflamed the brain. What do you do?"

Merlin's brain froze momentarily and smiled as he realised he knew the answer to this one as there was a case quite similar when he first arrived in Camelot and tended to rounds with Gaius.

"Most inflammations of the brain are incurable sire." Merlin said and the King looked slightly disappointed but Merlin wasn't done. "However, if it is from an infection and not a blow to the head, there was a case in which my mentor and I helped reduce the fever by using a cold bath. We collected ice from the icehouse to bring the fever down more. Then Gaius administered potion, which encouraged the body to heal. As long as we kept his skin cool the body functioned as normally as possible and we kept feeding him honey to fight off the infection."

Bagdemagus smiled. "And what was in this potion?"

Merlin thought for a moment then remembered he'd been the one to make it while Gaius was holding the boy in the bath. "Goldenseal, vinegar, crushed garlic flower and belladonna mixed in with juiced lemon and oil to help it go down."

"Belladonna? How did you prepare the belladonna?"

"Chopped, crushed, juiced, steeped, filtered, diluted and succussed." He shrugged impishly and looked up at Bagdemus, finally meeting the kings eyes. "That is how I remember the steps. I could tell you the exact preparations…"

"No need, no need. But if you hadn't prepared it, what would have happened?"

"Belladonna is highly poisonous, milord. He would have died."

"And did he? Die that is?"

Merlin's lip flickered into a slightly proud smile and he shook his head. "No milord. Elliot is fine and once again plays near the lake."

The man clapped, clearly impressed and even Uther looked mildly stunned. "How old are you boy?" Bagdemus asked.

Merlin chuckled nervously. "Thirteen."

Bagdemagus looked back at his Camille. "He would make a good Court Physician. I may yet have to take him back to my own kingdom. Camille?"

She turned her head and looked vaguely impressed and pursed her lips. "No father. He can stay here. If I am to be Queen of Camelot then I wish to have a good physician in my midst."

Morgana choked on her food, Gwen squeaked as she dropped the vase she had been holding and Leon dropped his guard, spinning his head around with his mouth hanging open slightly.

Arthur just sat there, looking annoyed but said nothing. Merlin thought back to the note he'd been written and suddenly knew what Arthur needed help with in regards to his written plea.

* * *

It took Merlin two hours to help prepare the Prince of the Anglia because nothing Merlin did seemed to be right. For a moment he felt like his first day serving Arthur in which no matter what shirt he pulled out for the prince it was the wrong one.

Then the pillows weren't right and Merlin rushed around Camelot looking for a pillow not too soft or too hard for the _poor_ prince's head. By the time he convinced Mary to quickly give him some food for Arthur before she headed home for the evening after cleaning and got up to the princes chambers, it was after midnight and Merlin just wanted to collapse.

"Where have you been?" Arthur demanded as Merlin walked into the chambers without knocking. "Dinner finished ages ago."

Merlin narrowed his eyes at Arthur. "Bar actually singing him a lullaby, I did everything to get than man to sleep and he _just wouldn't!_ The fire was too hot, now the room is too cold, his shirt wasn't proper, the covers were too light, the pillows too hard… _I _sleep in a cot, which Gaius still hasn't confirmed or denied whether or not it was an old patient bed that people have _died in_, in a bedroom that makes the ice house seem humid." He slammed the plate down on the table. "And _you're hungry? _You had a banquet! I haven't eaten since last night because the stupid _prince_ needed his things unpacked and rearranged in fifty-different god-awful ways. Then he kicked me Arthur! I was hungry and didn't get up quickly enough for him so he kicked me up the arse!"

Arthur had been staring at him, slightly in awe of his outburst but when it looked like Merlin was finished, he pointed to the food. "That's for you. I know you haven't eaten because Morgana and Gwen always have lunch together and Gwen didn't show up all day so I assumed you hadn't eaten either. Morgana's doing the same for Gwen, or so I would imagine."

Merlin looked down at the leftover banquet food Mary had piled onto the plate for the prince and then looked up at Arthur sheepishly. "So you're getting married." he said, picking up some of the meat and popping it into his mouth, instantly calming.

Arthur groaned and sunk into his chair. "I was informed today by my father, that now both Camille and I are of a marrying age, Bagdemagus came to ask for me."

"You're sixteen."

"I'm a prince who needs to be wed. Anyway, they're just trying to organise the betrothal, not the actual wedding. I need to get out of this Merlin. I can't stand being in the same room as her, let alone be her husband. I mean, I'd have to share chambers with her, on occasion." he added the last part. "But still. _Heirs_ would be _expected_."

Merlin shuddered for Arthur. "How come your father has picked her as a bride."

"He hasn't. They're negotiating. Swapping lands, making treaties…"

"Trading sheep." Merlin added.

Arthur frowned.

Merlin peered up from his plate at the prince's sudden silence. "When… when people in my village are betrothed they trade the daughter for sheep. Or so I presume."

The prince's face turned into one of bewilderment and witlessness. "Your people are very, very strange."

"We don't have lands or peace treaties." he defended then kept eating. "Honestly, I don't know what would help to get you out of this engagement. Unless you talk to your father…"

"My father and Bagdemagus would love nothing more than if Camille and I wedded. There would be no convincing them. They have planned this since they were children."

Merlin thought about it for a moment. "Well then you must prove that your marriage would be the worst idea for the two kingdoms."

Arthur stared into the fires, one arm hanging from the chair and the other under his chin. "Yes, but how?"

Merlin shook his head. "How am I supposed to know? My people trade sheep. Not much is at stake if a negotiation goes wrong except _maybe _your name gets tarnished in village gossip. But I wouldn't know what that was like. No one liked me to begin with."

Arthur glared at him. "Well you're no help. I wouldn't have invited you if I knew you were going to be such a waste of time."

"Why don't you offer her sheep? Wouldn't that be seen as an offence of some sort? Offering something the lower class of Essetir exchange?"

"_Mer_lin. You're not being helpful."

"I'm _tired_. I can't be helpful if I'm bordering delirious."

"Well, you can't be tired. Maleagant and I are training together tomorrow. You need to have both his armour ready and mine."

"Why both?"

Arthur grinned sheepishly. "Because I have no idea where you keep my armour."

Merlin shot him a sneering look and pointed to the chest at the end of Arthur's bed. "Do you even know what that's for?"

With the edge of his toe, Arthur pride open the box and peered inside, spotting his armour. "Well _now_ I do."

* * *

**A/N: **Me and my best friend long ago decided, a TV series truly becomes a hit TV series, when someone has made an 'Opening Credits in the Style of...' youtube video. My friend was arguing Merlin will never be a 'hit', and I like the show (I'm writing a damn fanfic about it) and, by our pre-determined rules, we looked up 'FRIENDS' Opening Style and 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' Opening Style...

My friend was so damn impressed with the BTVS opening style that he took my first season of Merlin. I thought it was pretty damn impressive too, so I post it here because it has a woeful amount of hits. It's actually really good.

/watch?v=LKffh3qJbow

On more important matters... Review?


	23. A Prince with a Secret

**A/N: **Exams are OVER! Assignments are OVER! University 2012 is OVER! *Does celebratory dance* This chapter is thus longer because I feel I have let you all wait... and for those of you reading _Letters of Camelot, _I'll update within 24hrs! :) **Bittersweet** **x,** thank you! I'm glad it's lovely :) **Bundibird,** needed to give Merlin his time in the spotlight... Plus, I needed Bagdemagus to like him. And FF dictionary is hilariously awesome. :) **IndiaMoore, **here is more. **A maze thing,** ahh! I hope you're alright and you weren't too thrown around. My friends are in New York and they built a snow man yesterday with a luchador mask on and sent me photos... :/ Little more Gwen/Merlin awkwardness in this chap but I did it to lead onto better awkwardness... lol **bubzchoc** THANKS! **High Serpent King,** hehehe... Camille... *snickers*. **regularhp, **thank you for the lovely review. I just sat there reading it and blushing... I'm glad you like it and I hope you enjoy the rest. :) **mrlnfan, **thank you :) **Guest/Blackeye, **SHUSH!

**Disclaimer: **(haven't done this for a while...) I own a few songs on iTunes, BUT I don't own Merlin.

* * *

**A Prince with a Secret**

It was a long night and the embers in the fire were just starting to die down in the hearth by the old man's feet.

In actuality, he wasn't that old. He was no older than the King. He was younger than the king. By a year, but still… younger. Back in the days of their youth, Uther had used that fact against him. Now, Ector proudly boasted to have more years of life left in him than the old tyrant.

Not that he ever got to say that to his face.

Not that Uther had looked at him let alone spoken to him in almost ten years, but that was far from the point.

Ector thought a lot of the old days. The days before the Great Purge when things had been better. He looked over to the bed beside the hearth where his son was sleeping and smiled quietly. _Something's _he wouldn't change, like Kay and even Arthur…

But at the same time, he missed his friendships and loved ones. He missed Sir Frenwyn the way he had been before Sir Lachlan, his brother had passed. He missed Sir Lachlan and Sir Goloris and Sir Lewis! With a pang of sadness, he missed his wife Julia and then thought of Ygraine and Sir Tristan and Vivian. All had been friends who he'd lost over the years either to death or betrayal.

He looked at Kay again and thought of other friends he dare not mention he lost. Balinor and Hunith. Alice and… He closed his green eyes tight and leant back in his chair, ignoring his old battle wound throbbing in his shoulder. Gaius had many times offered to give him a potion for the ailment but this one, Ector believed he deserved.

He rubbed the kinks in his thigh and waited out the pain and the pain for all those he had lost. He sometimes wished he had an ability in magic so he could have gone with them. So he could have kept Balinor safe and sane or pretended he was Alice's son to watch over her.

But once more, it was the faces of Kay and Arthur and Morgana and Leon that brought him to his senses. To each of them he had been a mentor and a guardian at some point in his life, doing his deceased and depressed friends favours in helping to raise their children. He closed his eyes once more and tried to drift of as his son had done and for a second, he thought he had.

He thought he had dreamt the familiar wind sweep that came with a particular friend he tried with all his heart not to think about. For a moment he thought he would see her eyes behind the lids of his, only it never came.

Then he realised that it was not a dream and he had felt the wind on his skin. Slowly, he opened his eyes and gasped in surprise at the sight of the ageless sorceress. "Nimueh." he breathed.

Bright blue eyes met his and Ector knew right away that being a High Priestess had done the sorceress well. She did not look to have aged a day since the last time he saw her sixteen years ago and even more, she looked more beautiful. Her hair was thicker and longer than it had been in her – or more correctly _his _youth. Her lips were redder and fuller and her body…

Ector sighed out the breath he was holding and pushed himself upright in his chair. "Would you like some tea?" he asked quietly, pointing to the boiling water over the fire.

It was not what was expected from one of Camelot to say when confronted with a powerful High Priestess of the Old Religion, but Nimueh wasn't an average sorceress and he also wasn't the average citizen of Camelot. "No thank you." Declined politely. "But I will sit."

Ector pointed to the chair behind the table and Nimueh took it. "Kay is asleep."

She turned her head slightly to peer at him and laughed lightly. "He has grown."

"He looks to be about your age now." he said lightly.

Nimueh rolled her eyes. "You and Uther. Always so jealous of my aging abilities."

"It wasn't the abilities I was jealous of." he corrected her and even after all the years apart and his loving wife, Ector couldn't stop the feelings he had for the High Priestess. By the way Nimueh was staring down at the floor she had the feelings too.

"You're the only one who can make me feel powerless, Ector. I still find that alarming."

"Why are you here, Nimueh?" he asked quietly. "Here to mock what I've become?"

"To mock you would be to mock myself. We are both the same, Ector. A product of Uther's wrath."

"And have you come to remind me of this?"

She narrowed her eyes and twisted her head to the side. "You grew impatient."

"You filled yourself with riddles." he said just as quickly. "I always hated riddles."

"Fine." she said quickly and then turned her head to the fire where the tea was boiling. Ector knew that somehow she had wished she'd said yes to it. "I am sure a few weeks ago, you felt the disturbance in magic."

Ector frowned and then nodded. "You mean the shudder?"

Nimueh smiled. "You still feel magic then."

"I grew up around it. I became attuned."

"So did Uther."

"He suffocated those senses. What is this about then?"

Nimueh paused and crossed her arms over her chest more to protect herself and form defences from Ector's effect over her. "Do you remember as children, we used to hear tales of the Once and Future King and his Sorcerer, Emrys from the Druids? The one who would unite all the lands only because of the help from Emrys, the Druid's leader?"

There was a time when the carefree children that had been friends would do such things and it pained Ector to remember. "Yes."

"Arthur is the King." Nimueh said gently. "And Emrys is in Camelot, though I have no idea why." She leant forward and kissed Ector's forehead before disappearing in the wind.

* * *

Merlin rested underneath a tree, his head on his knees as he watched Maleagant warm up with Camelot's knights, the knights from Anglia who had accompanied the royal family and Arthur. After dressing the fussy foreign prince, Merlin made sure to keep a particularly close eye on him to see if he would make any sort of foul move on Arthur.

Today the knights were training in the arena, using their swords. Merlin was not participating or being used as target practice as usual, because Arthur had only that morning realised that Merlin confessed Maleagant had kicked him and wasn't taking the news so kindly.

The night before he'd ended up sleeping on the floor in Arthur's room, wanting to curl up next to the fire and woke up on Arthur's bed when the prince's foot smacked his face by accident and he leapt out of the bed in fright, falling on the bruise where Maleagant had kicked him and yelping in pain.*

He looked over and saw Camille and Morgana sitting side by side in the empty stands, save for a few servants. Merlin could have sat up there but he was too tired and was trying to curl up for some extra sleep but at the same time, watch Arthur carefully.

"Merlin?" He looked up and saw Gwen going over to join him. He remembered their conversation the day before and smiled. He had missed his friend and she sat beside him against the tree. "Why are you sitting out here?"

"If I'm going to fall asleep I'm going to do it under the comfort of a tree where no one is watching and not the stands which are, frankly, uncomfortable."

Gwen giggled and sat beside Merlin, looking at her hands. They sat in silence, both of them wondering who should speak but content in pretending that they were watching Arthur who was about to start a fight with Maleagant. Well, Merlin _was_ technically watching the fight. He was simply multitasking with being in an awkward silence with Gwen.

Finally the blacksmith's daughter decided the silence was too much and spoke without looking at Merlin. "Do you know how yesterday you said you missed me?" Merlin nodded briefly and she saw from the corner of his vision. "Well, I've missed you too. Not in the romantic way either. Just in the plain, you're my best friend and I _really_ miss you Merlin."

Merlin tore his eyes away from where Arthur was laying out the rules of training to the visiting Prince and his knights and looked at Gwen. He smiled. "I miss you too. But… But, I don't… I mean, I like you but… I don't _like_ you."

She blushed and confessed, "I did… like you like that but… but after we… well after _I _kissed you I realised I wouldn't want to change our friendship for anything. And apart from my brother and Leon, you're the only male friend I have and I think I confused that for something more because you were always so nice to me. I thought it was maybe love." She turned away bashfully and Merlin quickly looked up to see Arthur and Maleagant hadn't yet started to fight.

"I'll always be nice to you." he chuckled, looking back at Gwen. "Anyway… I do love you." The words came easily to Merlin as he realised he did care deeply for Gwen. "Just… not like that." he added sheepishly, blushing as only a child would when confronted with such adult ideals.

She quickly reached over and kissed his cheek. "I love you too, Merlin." She reached out and held out her pinky. "And no matter what, we'll always be friends, yes?"

He locked his own pinky with her and nodded. "Promise." He looked around and saw no one was watching and leant over and pecked her on the lips. When she looked stunned he said, "Now we're even. It would be hardly fair if you got a kiss and I didn't." She slapped his arm and pushed him away giggling. Merlin rolled onto his side, laughing and tilted his head back.

When he rolled back over so he was next to Gwen, they were both still giggling and only just got to see Maleagant walk up to Morgana and reach out for her hand. She looked mildly disgusted as he kissed it.

Then, at the same time, Sir Arnold and Sir Walden shoved Arthur forward to go to Camille. His face scrunched in disgust and he kept shooting looks of contempt back to his father's personal guards as he was forced to go up to the Princess Camille and kiss her hand, dedicating the fight to her. She offered him a token, a lace blue handkerchief that matched her dress. "You don't think her and Arthur will really marry, do you?" Gwen asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I hope not. I don't want to be attending her and Arthur."

"Don't be silly, Merlin. The Queen always gets her own handmaiden and the King and Queen sleep in separate quarters."

"That is stupid."

"You grew up in a village where there weren't hundreds of rooms at your disposal."

"True. They need be used for something, I suppose. At least I wouldn't have to wake up her every morning." Merlin leant his head on Gwen's shoulder and watched as Arthur, with his token attached to the hilt of his sword, braced himself for the fight against Maleagant. "Uther's not so cruel to marry Morgana off to the likes of Maleagant, is he?"

"I don't know." she said sadly. "I know that we're of the serving class Merlin, but at least we have a choice in who we can love."

Arthur was a keen fighter. Merlin had watched him fight many times in training and he had been attempting lately to try it blindfolded and was actually getting better at it – though Merlin could hardly figure why he was stupid enough to try.

His movements were fluid and calculated and he sort of glided, blocking, parrying, lunging and blocking once more before he twisted his sword around to disarm Maleagant and succeeded. He may not have been much of a dancer when it came to actual music being involved, but Arthur could move when it came to fighting.

There was round of applause and Maleagant looked annoyed as Arthur stepped back and twirled his sword around arrogantly. Maleagant picked up his sword and got into first position again. Arthur braced himself and then Maleagant attacked.

Where Arthur used tactics, Maleagant used brute force. The older man wore a sleeveless shirt so Merlin could quite clearly see he wasn't as lean as his tunic made him out to be but hard coiled muscles were hidden underneath his princely attire.

Even Merlin knew that Maleagant was slightly clumsy with a sword, but had obviously won many battles with his uncontrollable rage and strength but he had never thought it through before.

Arthur was just too calm and level headed about everything and Maleagant couldn't get a blow passed his defences. Merlin saw Sir Frenwyn admiring Arthur's work and knew the old knight was proud of the prince. "Arthur's an amazing fighter." Gwen breathed, slightly stunned by the prince.

Merlin could only nod in agreement as Arthur once again, disarmed Maleagant who actually kicked the dirt in anger. Merlin laughed and _somehow_ his temporary master locked eyes with him. He quickly quietened his chuckles and tried to look stony as Maleagant turned his rage to Arthur.

_Could this be the thing that the dragon was talking about?_ he thought quickly as he saw the fury dancing in the ash coloured eyes of the foreign prince. "Let us make things more interesting?" Maleagant offered. "In Anglia, we play a game in which we are given one person to defend above everything else. The goal is to capture the other knights captive first."

Arthur looked wary but agreed. Merlin was internally shouting for him to say no. "Alright. Who shall you defend?"

"I think it best you chose for me and I for you. The only thing is, it cannot be a knight."

_No. This cannot be good._ "But what if they are struck?"

Maleagant grinned. "That is the point, Arthur. To ensure they are not."

Merlin watched as the blonde prince pursed his lips and looked around the field. "Elyan." he called out, nodding to Elyan who had been watching on the sidelines. He wasn't anyone's servant but did assist with the weapons as he was a blacksmith in training and he was quite a good tactical option. He could wield a sword as well as any knight and could defend himself should something go wrong.

Gwen's hand tightened around Merlin's and he squeezed back to assure her. "He'll be fine." he said quietly, wondering what Maleagant was up to.

It took him a second to figure out when Maleagant's eyes sought him out with a clearly amused expression. "Him. Martin."

Having no idea of Merlin's relationship with the Prince, Merlin could only assume this was to somehow get back at him for laughing or being a useless servant. Merlin looked at Gwen warily and then at Arthur who tensed but conceded.

Merlin stood and dusted himself off as he crossed onto the field and over to Arthur. "Yes?"

"Stay behind me while I defend you." Arthur grunted, clearly displeased with the turn of events."

"Yes sire." he chirped. He looked over his shoulder briefly and saw Morgana looking distressed. She pointed at Maleagant and Merlin turned back around just in time to see him swing at him.

He yelped and moved as Arthur blocked the attack and shoved Merlin further back behind him. At the same time, he was trying to manoeuvre himself around to get to Elyan who, at the very least, was trying to help Arthur win by moving towards the blonde prince's sword.

Merlin didn't notice when the King's came and joined the stands, watching but was grateful he knew Arthur well enough to duck when he let his defences down for long enough to try and attack Maleagant.

Seeing the opening, Maleagant had tried to get Merlin and would have managed if Merlin hadn't dodged the blow. "The captive can't move." Maleagant growled.

"What? Can't hit a moving target?" Arthur teased, then lunged again and nicked Maleagant's shoulder hard enough to shove him aside. Arthur almost caught Elyan's wrist, but as he fell, Maleagant shoved his sword forward to strike Arthur in the chest.

As he fell, Merlin saw it. The thing that was _truly_ going to ruin negotiations should anyone find out and he now knew why the dragon was so wary. "_Ic i áscirpe._" The prince hissed and Merlin saw the blade of his sword glint along with the gold in his eyes. Merlin recognised the words and knew that the sword was no longer the blunt one that Merlin had given Maleagant that morning, but had been sharpened to kill.

"No!" Merlin shouted and shoved Arthur aside. The prince fell into Elyan as Merlin's arm got in the way of the blow and the blade slide across his skin, cutting his arm open and leaving a deep wound.

Maleagant pulled his sword back quickly, his alarm evident on his face as Merlin fell too, clutching his arm under him to hide the injury. He felt an unfamiliar hand on his shoulder, drawing him up and was pulled back against Maleagant as Arthur scrambled up with Elyan. The two of them held their 'captives', though in Merlin's case it felt more real as Maleagant held the sharpened sword to his neck. The two princes' glared at each other fiercely, Maleagant's threat on Merlin very real.

"Draw." Morgana shouted from the sidelines, her voice taking on a panicked squeak. "You both took each others captives at the same time. It is a draw!" She called finally. The spectators clapped slowly at the King's wards declare and Merlin saw Arthur lessen the strain in his shoulders whilst Maleagant kept as tense as ever.

Arthur let go of Elyan and conceded to Morgana's call, bowing to Maleagant and then turning and bowing to the kings on show. The grip on Merlin's shoulder tightened and Maleagant knew he had to follow suit and put on his most charming grin as he turned to the kings, bowing in the same manner and forcing Merlin to bow too. "I will kill you if you ever get in my way again, you little brat." Maleagant hissed in his ear before letting him go.

Merlin stumbled forward and hid his bloodied arm in his jacket as Arthur grabbed him by the back of the collar and guided him back to the sidelines with Elyan. "You shouldn't have done that." Arthur grunted.

"Trust me. I saved your life." Merlin said quietly. Arthur didn't hear him and he was already feeling light headed from the blood loss. "I have class with Gaius." he lied, quickly backing away from Arthur before he could tell he was injured. "I'll see you later." He turned on his heel and ran back up the castle before Arthur could remind him he had training with Gaius in the afternoon.

On his way up to the castle, Gwen ran and intercepted him. "Show me your arm." she said quickly.

"Gwen." he muttered.

"I saw him strike your arm and I see how you're holding it." Before he could argue, she yanked his arm out from under his jacket and they hissed together, Merlin more out of pain than the shock Gwen hissed from. "I thought they were blunted!"

"So did I." he groaned. He stumbled forward, definitely getting dizzier and Gwen pulled him up. "Come on." Neither of them noticed the same set of green eyes that hadn't betrayed their whereabouts in the cupboard were watching them still.

* * *

Together they went up to Gaius and the physician quickly saw to it that Merlin's wound was sealed up as he told the story of what really happened.

"He used magic?" Gwen gasped, listening to Merlin's version of the events.

He numbly nodded and winced as Gaius put another stitch in his arm. "Must you do that?"

"Of course not. I'll just let you bleed out then, shall I?" Gaius wasn't really angry at Merlin but more at the fact that he was injured. "We must tell the king."

"No!" Merlin said quickly.

Gwen and Gaius both looked at him as though he was crazy. "Merlin, he's a sword wielding sorcerer who has a grudge against Arthur. Don't you think it's a little important that we inform the King?" Gwen asked, raising her eyebrow.

Merlin shook his head. "Then the peace treaty will collapse and…" Merlin stuttered over words like he was about to reveal something he couldn't. He quickly opened his mouth again to start a different tangent. "Maleagant is not his father. And in saying that, neither is Camille. I'm afraid that both her and her brother are corrupt. That should not stop peace between the kingdoms now while it can be."

"How do you know that Bagdemagus is not involved in this?" Gaius asked.

Merlin, it seemed, had already thought of this. "He wishes to unite the kingdoms. Marry off Camille. Even if his plan was to kill Arthur and take his throne, he would have to do that not only after Uther dies, but after the two are wed. Maleagant is just… malefic." Gaius's frown hardened and Gwen tried not to look confused.

_What does malefic mean?_ she shook her head out of the confusing word and reminded herself to ask Merlin later. "Fine. Fine, but if he tries to hurt Arthur again…"

"As long as he's distracted by other things, he should keep away from Arthur. After lunch they'll all start talking treaties and he can't kill him there in front of Uther, can he." Merlin pointed out. He got up and hissed as he scraped his jacket over the wound.

Gwen stared at the bloodied thing. "You're going to need a new jacket."

"Not now. You and I are supposed to be serving the Prince and Princess their lunches." Merlin reminded her.

Alarmed, Gwen quickly stood then sat Merlin titter as he did too. "No. You stay here. Rest for a moment I'll give both the royals their lunch."

"But…"

Gwen shoved him down into his bed lightly. "You won't be able to carry a tray with that arm. Trust me for the time being." Merlin went to object but Gwen was already out of the physician's chambers and scurrying down to the kitchens.

She explained to Mary the Cook that Merlin was helping Gaius and she would be delivering both Prince Maleagant and Princess Camille's lunches. Mary ruffled her hair and smiled. "Alright, but be careful love. That boy has been eyeing the young Morgana since he came here and I ain't to sure about his practices with serving girls."

Gwen ignored this, not needing to tremble more than she was. She stacked the two trays on her arm carefully, balancing them with all the food and jugs in a well-practiced manner. "Oh and, dear." Mary called out just before she left. Gwen paused and looked back at the Cook. "Liv was by earlier and asked me to ask you if Helena has been given the afternoon off?" Mary looked a little bewildered by this and Gwen just shook her head.

"If you see her, tell her it would be best if Charlotte talks to Morgana. I won't be attending her for the next week so wouldn't know."

Mary frowned. "You girls aren't up to something, are you?"

"Never, Mary. I'm offended you'd believe such a thing. See you for dinner." Gwen hurried out of the kitchens and went up to the hallway given to the Prince and Princess for their visit. First she rested the prince's dishes on the table just outside and delivered Camille her lunch first.

"You're late." Camille said, staring at herself in the mirror.

"Sorry milady." Gwen replied, ducking her head.

"Have you had my dress repaired yet?" Camille asked, turning in her chair at the vanity and walking to the dining table.

_Damn it_. Gwen had planned on going straight after the training session that morning to have the dress repaired but had forgotten. "The seamstresses have it in their care." she lied.

Camille's face scowled. "And are they good at what they do? I have seen the production of Morgana's dresses and do not wish to look like _her._" Gwen felt a pang of hurt. She had stitched most of those dresses herself, by the light of the fire in her home, trying to impress her mistress.

There was no doubt she loved Morgana like the sister she never had and while she would make her dresses and stay up for hours learning to braid and make new designs for her hair, while Morgana spoiled her and bought her fancy dolls and gave her materials to make herself new dresses. Never once had she complained about her stitching. "No milady. A different seamstress is used for Morgana's gowns." Gwen tried to keep the hurt from her voice. "If I may, your highness. I must also deliver your brother's lunch."

"What happened to his servant?" Camille asked. "The one who was the physicians apprentice?"

"He is needed by the physician. His duties as a medic come first." Gwen was slightly impressed by her own skills in lying, considering she had thought she had none.

"Well then, go. My brother is in a mood." Camille said bitterly. "Arthur's victory has him pouting like a child and when he gets in such a mood, I fear my own life."

Gwen was disturbed by the Princess's blunt confession, but didn't comment. She bowed before re-entering the hallway and collecting Maleagant's food. She knocked and was let in a moment later. When the prince spotted her he turned in his seat and demanded, "Where is Marlin?" She half wished Merlin had been there to know the prince had _half_ gotten his name right.

"He is attending his lessons." Gwen replied easily. "I was asked to bring you your food."

Maleagant narrowed his eyes. "Lessons? His physician lessons?"

"Yes milord." Gwen replied, ducking her head to avoid eye contact as she spread the food over the table.

A sword slipped under her neck and Gwen gasped, dropping the goblet in her hand. "You're lying."

She looked at Maleagant and, to herself, thought she had done an excellent job so far in lying. She couldn't even think of what gave it away. Maleagant sat at his chair, holding the sword up lazily under Gwen's chin, waiting for her response. "N-No I'm not sire." She briefly looked down at the sharpened weapon underneath her neck and back at the Prince.

Maleagant smirked, "See, my dear. I have this _talent, _if you will. I can tell when people are lying. I do not know why or how, but I have had this ability since birth. Now tell me… Where is the serving boy?" The knife crept up closer to her neck and Gwen became panicked.

"He's with Gaius, I swear." she swallowed and the skin around her neck caressed the blade.

"What is he doing there?" Gwen shook her head. "What is he doing there?" Maleagant repeated, sticking the blade _just_ enough to draw a strip of blood.

"He's having a wound tended to." Gwen shuddered, closing her eyes tightly. Tears poured down her face and she thought of how her and Merlin just became friends again. Now she was giving him up to the likes of Maleagant? _I'm so sorry, Merlin._

"The wound I gave him?" he sneered as he asked.

Gwen nodded her head, refusing to open her eyes and see the blow that would kill her. "Yes."

It took a moment. A breathless moment where Gwen was filled with fear during which the sword fell from under her neck and Maleagant turned to his food. Gwen didn't open her eyes at first, too scared to see what had happened and considering maybe this was her death. Maybe it was so quick she hadn't felt it.

But then she heard the scraping of a knife against a plate and loud lewd chewing sounds. After plucking up the courage, Gwen opened her eyes to see the prince eating, his teeth chomping together with every bite and his tongue smacking the food. Gwen had watched many kings eat in a abhorring manner, but none had ever struck her as so vile. "Tell the boy I left my armour in the armoury and need it brought up immediately. Off you go."

The young serving girl nodded quickly and was about to leave when Maleagant grabbed her arm and squeezed. Gwen hadn't seen him approach let alone known how close he was and cried out as his fingers dug into her arm. "And be warned, my dear. If you so much as think to tell someone of what you saw, I will make have you are worse than killed."

She yelped as he threw her forward and hit the door. Before he could attack her again, she scrambled up, latching onto the doorknob and flung herself out of the room, taking quick and panicked breaths, going out to search for Merlin.

* * *

Arthur was confronted with something he much rather not be doing. As Merlin wasn't around, he couldn't even ask the boy for help either and because of his father's insistence and Bagdemagus' enthused eyes, Arthur was now at Camille's door holding a bunch of flowers and trying to remember the exact words he was supposed to say.

The Princess of Anglia was a season older than him, if he remembered correctly, and the two had often seen each other when visiting each other's castles during the biannual feasts that the kingdoms had to celebrate Uther and Bagdemagus' friendship and alliance, and left to 'play' together.

For some reason, Arthur had been a rather small child at the beginning of his life and to his displeasure – and not that she ever mentioned it – Camille had been rather large and was a bully. Because of this, to his utmost embarrassment, playing with Camille usually meant her having all the control in what games they played and what they did.

She often forced him to play tea parties and had tormented him by doing his longish hair in ribbons, with the consequences should he not participate be that she would hit him with a stick until Maleagant came along and the two would get into a fight. When they two fought Arthur cowered in a corner and hoped that if he did get the sibling he'd been wishing for, they would be nothing like either of them.

He distinctly remembered, whenever coming back to Camelot after visiting with Camille he would run into Ector and later Gaius's chambers and clamber over them, begging to be held. He flushed at the thought and stared back at the flowers.

Arthur was older now and could hold his own. Camille no longer played with tea parties or with sticks and was definitely not bigger than him. But it didn't stop him from wishing to recoil from the girl whenever he saw her move to quickly, his mind frightened of the idea she could possibly be pulling a weapon from out of no where.

He knocked on the door, wondering where his father had gotten the flowers from and heard Camille call out, "Come in."

He opened the door and stepped inside and saw Camille sitting with empty trays of lunch. "I thought you were the serving girl to collect my lunch."

Only half an hour before, he had seen Gwen running through the castle blindly and hadn't stopped to ask her what the matter was. He too would be running if he had to serve Camille. "Well, I'm not." he said rather bluntly. "I uh… I'm bringing you flowers." He held them out like they smelt funny, at the longest possibly distance away from him. He could only hope Camille got the idea and reached out across the remaining of the distance.

When she didn't seem to move he approached her and put the flowers on the edge of the table, unwilling to get closer in case, like a cage beast, she lunged at him. "Um… Thank you for… the favour." From his pocket he pulled out the light blue handkerchief he had been given that morning and forced to tie around his sword. The feeling of the knot beneath his gloves had momentarily throne him off at the beginning of the fight, but he soon learnt to ignore it, much like he'd learnt to ignore her. "Would you like it back?"

"No." she said quite primly. "It is yours to keep as a token of our communion."

He looked at the handkerchief, covered with lace and looking nothing like anything he would use. "Ugh… Yeah. Right. Um… s-so… do you like… horse riding?" he asked uncomfortably.

The princess snorted. "Being lugged around all lopsided by a beast twice my size? Hardly a good idea for a first date, Arthur."

He burned a brighter red and cleared his throat. Now he knew that Camille knew what he was doing, it was even more uncomfortable. "I… um…" _Why didn't I have a back up plan?_ "What about… What about dinner. Tonight. In my chambers?"

"That is hardly appropriate, but alright. If we are to be wed, we shall share many meals in each other's chambers. At sunset then?"

Reluctantly, Arthur nodded. He gathered he was being dismissed by Camille's sudden silence and went to leave but was reminded of what Camille said. "Where did Gwen go?" he asked, mildly concerned for his stepsisters serving maid. He cared for her, only because if something had happened to her Morgana would be alarmed. Also, she taught him how to dance and not look like a fool that was enough to deserve a knighthood in Arthur's books.

"I don't know. She was attending to both my brother and I for lunch and she never picked up the trays."

Arthur's blood ran cold. "Why is she attending Maleagant?"

"Something about the physicians apprentice needing help." she waved her hand off. "I didn't pay too close attention."

Quickly, Arthur left with two things in mind. One, Gwen had been alone with Maleagant and that in itself was quite dangerous. Two, something was wrong with Merlin and he was sure if he found one he would find the other.

* * *

It had taken an age to calm Gwen down and after she stuttered out through gasping tear what had happened with Maleagant, but when she finally let it out, Merlin became furious. "I'll kill him." he said.

Gwen's face softened, even with the tears. "No you won't."

"He hurt you."

"You sound like Arthur." Merlin shut up at that. He looked at the bruise on Gwen's arm. She was sitting on his bed. Gaius was out and he was supposed to be resting but Gwen had thrown herself into his chambers, shouting out apologies. "I didn't mean to tell him."

"Gwen, if it ever happens again you tell him everything that he wants to know and don't feel guilty about it." Merlin said next to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. "Please. Don't ever think I'd rather you be hurt."

The words started her tears again and she wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. "He said if I told, he'd make me worse than dead."

A fleeting thought in the back of his head, made him realise that Gwen had successfully distracted Maleagant away from Arthur, only by making herself the target. "He won't hurt you." Merlin promised, though now he was trying to think of how he would distract Maleagant from both Arthur and Gwen. It seemed he didn't like Merlin too much as it was, but Maleagant thought he knew Merlin's feelings to Gwen which could make a bigger problem later.

"Take the rest of the day off." he said. "I'll tend to the Maleagant and Camille now."

"But your arm…"

"Gaius gave me a potion. I can't feel it." he said then waved it around with no pain to prove his point. "Trust me."

Gwen shook her head. "It's not you I don't trust. Merlin, they're dangerous. Both of them. Camille and Maleagant. I don't think either of them have a kind thought for Arthur or for Camelot."

Merlin could only guess why, if both of them were magically inclined. "I can take care of myself."

"From sorcerers?" she whispered.

"Trust me I'll–"

"_Mer_lin." His door swung open and he looked up with Gwen. He was still holding her and she still had tearstains on her cheek when Arthur announced himself. He stopped in the door and looked over the scene then became tort. "What happened to Guinevere?"

Merlin hugged Gwen closer and shook his head. "None of your business Arthur."

"You're my manservant, Gwen is Morgana's serving maid, Morgana's my step-sister so yes. It has everything to do with me."

Gwen rubbed her eyes and said, "Merlin and I had a fight. We were just apologising." Merlin blinked only once, surprised at how fast she could lie. He nodded in agreement though when Arthur turned his stare on him but the princes didn't look as though he believed them.

"Camille said Gwen attended to Maleagant."

Merlin nodded. "She did. As a favour."

"But you were fighting."

"I was trying to make it up to him." she said quietly. "We only got to speak now… Milord, please? May we be alone?" she looked at him desperately, trying to encourage him to leave and Merlin could only smile when Arthur actually looked like he would.

Though it only lasted for a moment until he made a face. "Listen. Both of you. Now." They both turned to the Prince who had a serious look on his face. "It's bad enough that Merlin is alone with Maleagant but never, and I repeat never, leave Gwen alone with him. Do you both understand?"

Gwen seemed to, but Merlin frowned. Arthur looked around the room conspiratorially as to make sure no one was listening to them – though, with the fact some servant named Jonathan was following him around, it may have been a good idea – then shut the door and went further into Merlin's room. "I don't want to worry either of you but… Maleagant has somewhat of a reputation in Camelot… _and_ in Anglia, for… for bedding serving girls. No matter their age or even their place, he beds them. Bagdemagus isn't aware of it, as far as I know, but if you haven't noticed already, Maleagant is the type that would brag about his boots if they were slightly more polished than the man next to him." His eyes darkened slightly and Merlin's heart sunk at what Arthur was saying.

"I'm so sorry…" he stuttered out, then turned to look at Gwen. "If I had known."

"I'd have gone anyway." she murmured quietly, looking at him pointedly. Merlin knew why. She didn't want him to work injured and was just as willing to protect him as he was to protect her.

"Why were you running through the halls earlier anyway?" Arthur asked Gwen, looking confused.

Gwen opened her mouth to reply then shut it. It seemed her ways of deception had finally run out but Merlin spoke up for her. "She rushed to tell me to get Maleagant's armour from the armoury. He's a prat about it."

"No kidding." Arthur said.

"Arthur, can someone Gwen home?" Merlin asked. Gwen looked a little confused then Merlin kept speaking. "I don't think she should be alone in such a fragile state."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "This must have been some fight."

"It was." he said. Arthur didn't look as though he believed him, but Merlin ignored Arthur. He looked at Gwen and then repeated, "I really don't think you should be alone right now."

A look of understanding crossed her face and she nodded.

After a moment, Arthur said, "I'll have someone walk her down to her house."

"Thank you Arthur." Merlin said.

"Thank you milord." Gwen wiped her eyes and stood up, fixing her skirt. "I'll go then."

Arthur opened the door for her. "There are guards down the corridor. I'll come with you and tell them to see you off." he turned to Merlin. "You should probably go collect Maleagant's things. He'll be angry with you for being this late."

Merlin nodded and as Gwen and Arthur left pulled on his jacket and went out towards the armoury. _He's here one week. Only one week. You can survive one week._

* * *

There were no guards around that Arthur could find to walk Gwen home so, in the end, he did it himself.

Along the walk, Arthur realised how unusual it was for the two of them to be alone together. Usually Morgana or Merlin were around too, acting as a buffer. When they were children, Arthur often saw Gwen in Leon's household while her mother looked after Leon's younger siblings. But she had always become flustered and sat alone in a corner, unwilling to join them because he was the prince.

Once, when Arthur was ten years old, Leon and himself had managed to climb up a tree and get stuck. The climb was easy on the way up but almost impossible back down. Gwen had followed them – having nothing else to do at the time – and stood a little way away. "Gwen!" Leon shouted out and she stared at him nervously.

Arthur glared at Leon. "What are you doing?"

"She can get us down."

"We don't need _her_ to get us down."

"Arthur, we're stuck."

"I'd rather be stuck than have a girl rescue me."

Leon rolled his eyes then turned back out. "Gwen!" he shouted out again. "Come here." he beckoned.

She rocked on her feet nervously, then rushed over and stood at the base of the tree. "What is it?" she asked then quickly added, "Milord's."

Leon rolled his eyes and tutted his tongue. "Gwen. Go get help. We're stuck."

"Up the tree?" she asked curiously.

Arthur groaned as Leon nodded fervently. "Yes. Up the tree. Go grab Elyan and tell him to bring a ladder."

Gwen snorted. "You can't be stuck up that tree."

"There's no way to get down." Arthur snapped.

She frowned at him then reached out and grabbed one of the lower branches. "Yes there is. Here. Let me show you."

Both Leon and Arthur started protesting, shouting at her not to climb up. She didn't pay attention however, and soon was nestled in the middle of the branch in between Arthur and Leon. "Now she's gone and done it." Arthur growled, then looked over her head. "Girls, Leon. This is why we don't let girls save us. They just get into trouble themselves."

"It's because you're sitting the wrong way." Gwen explained, ignoring the jibe. She pulled her legs under her then twisted her body around until she was facing the opposite direction. Carefully, Arthur and Leon got into a crouch and turned around and Gwen looked at them both seriously, her small seven-year-old face scrunching up. "Now, pay attention. Watch where I put my feet and follow that."

Both the boys watched carefully as Gwen stretched her foot down and placed it sideways in a knob of the tree. She placed her hands on the base of the branch she sat on and twisted herself around and then went down, again, balancing herself on another knob. She got down another one and when, unbeknownst to any of them, her dress got caught on a branch. Arthur went down next, both concentrating on getting his footing right and what Gwen was doing, and then Leon.

Just before Gwen got to the bottom, her dress snagged and ripped as she lost her footing and fell the short distance to the ground. "Gwen!" Leon shouted and Arthur leapt down over her and landed in a crouch. Leon climbed the rest of the way down, so he didn't squash anyone underneath, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm alright." Gwen muttered as she stood with Leon's help. Once on her feet, she dusted herself off then looked up as Arthur and Leon were looking pointedly away. She frowned then looked at her skirts that were indecently ripped. "Oh no." she blushed and Arthur quickly took of his jacket and handed it to her as she tried to hide herself.

"Here. Until we get back to the citadel."

She nodded quickly and wrapped it around her waist, tying the sleeves together, blushing profusely. Arthur knew he shouldn't laugh, so suppressed the chuckles. "Thank you, milord."

In the present, Arthur snorted. Gwen looked up, a frown on her face not unlike the one she had when she was seven and wondering how they'd gotten stuck up the tree. "I was thinking about that day you fell out of the tree." he said, chuckling. "You ripped your dress."

Her face turned bright red and she turned and her head sharply so she was staring out in front of her. "I got the hiding of my life for that."

His chuckles died out but the smile was still there. "Why? For ripping your dress."

"Yes. And for playing in trees with boys." she rolled her eyes. "I wasn't supposed to be alone with you and Leon unless Elyan was there."

"Why not?" he asked, a little offended.

"Because." she flushed. "Think of the scandal."

"We were children."

"You were- _are_ a prince. I was the daughter of a squire's nurse. It's improper."

"I'm with you now." he pointed out, the two of them walking down through the upper town together. "I've walked you home a few times, actually."

"Never alone. And it's different now. I'm your stepsister's handmaid. Of course we're going to interact. Though, this is improper too." she added as an afterthought, tilting her head to the side in thought. They were quite for a moment then Gwen said, "You know, you never thanked me."

"What?" Arthur frowned. "Thanked you for what?"

"For saving you and Leon from that tree." Gwen smirked.

He laughed. "You never gave me my jacket back."

"Yes I did!"

"No. You didn't. I was supposed to wear it to some function that night, and Helena was furious when I told her I'd lost it."

"Helena?"

"She was my nurse before she was Morgana's."

"I gave your jacket to Leon and told him to give it to you. I rarely saw you, he saw you all the time." she stuck her nose up in the air. "I gave it back."

He smirked, "Fine, I believe you. Leon's always been terrible at returning things." They stopped outside of Gwen's house. "Are you going to be alright?"

She couldn't help the smile that lit her features as he asked. "Of course, sire." She turned her head and looked at her door. "Thank you."

He nodded once and Gwen went inside.

* * *

Once Gwen and Arthur had left, Merlin retreated to the armoury, ignoring the watchful eye of Jonathan, and found all of Maleagant's things, the emblem of Anglia emblazoned on every one of them. As he lifted everything up into his arms, he stumbled, but then steadied himself under the heavy weight.

Careful to not drop it all, he walked up to Maleagant's room as quickly as he could and delivered the Prince his armour, after knocking the door with his feet.

At first, the Prince ignored him.

Merlin went about his work, putting Maleagant's armour away and cleaning up the room and, after a long while, the Prince looked up from the book he was reading to study Merlin. "You really have no idea how to be a servant, do you?"

Merlin didn't reply to that, not knowing what the right answer would be. "Anything else, sire?" he asked, trying to sound as brave as possible. If what Gwen had told him was right, the prince now knew about his injuries and that put Merlin in a very precarious position.

Maleagant glanced at him with a smile too pleasant to be real. "Only one thing, Physicians Apprentice." Maleagant leant forward, clasping his hands together. "If you ever decide to boastfully telling someone you saved Prince Arthur's life by stepping in front of my sword, you will end up on the very table you work on… dead." His smile was still to kind for words and Merlin shivered. "Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes sire." he bowed.

"Oh and just to make sure… Have that serving girl you're so attached to attend to me tonight."

Merlin's stomach turned ice cold. "Milord, I was to attend to you through out your stay in Camelot, and Guinevere is to attend to Camille."

"No." Maleagant said. "I want her. My sister is dining with the Prince, according to the boasting she did just minutes before you arrived, so she should be free to attend to me. And if she doesn't, I will find your precious prince and deal him the blow I was planning for on the field. I think I may have found a better game to play than ruining Camille's happiness."

Not willing to play by the rules of civility any longer, Merlin turned to stare at him. "And what is that, _milord_? To ruin a serving girl?"

Maleagant scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Hardly. To ruin you."

He shook his head. "And what would that prove? I'm just a mere servant."

"A mere servant who commanded the attention of my father, who warranted the worry of a Prince and had a fellow servant lie for them to a Prince, nonetheless. I have a feeling, Martin, that you elicit a certain loyalty in people. I don't care for why or how, but I can tell simply by the fact you're made from something pure that not even I could ruin completely." Maleagant strummed his fingers on the table. "And I know how to ruin people."

Merlin narrowed his eyes. "What made you so evil? Who hurt you so much that play such games with others lives?"

Maleagant growled, "I am who I am simply because it is who I can be. Nothing more."

Merlin stood up straighter. "Well then, I am who I am too and that means that I will not be heedlessly sending my friend into danger. So I can attend to you tonight, milord. Or if you do wish for someone else, there is a whole army of servants willing to do the job. Servants much bigger than myself or you, milord." Merlin tried to seem grown up and far braver than he felt and really tried to keep the front as Maleagant stood up loomed forward, over him.

"You will do as I say, _boy_ or else suffer the consequences." He knew he had to be careful. Maleagant had magic and Merlin couldn't reveal his.

"I will tell Arthur."

"And what will he do about it then?" Maleagant asked, thin eyebrow raised. "Arthur is no match for me."

Merlin's jaw tightened. "If you so much as dare hurt anyone in this kingdom, the peace treaties will be destroyed."

"Are you that much of a fool? There are no peace treaties. Peace will forever be between Camelot and Anglia, as long as my father rules. This whole trip is for Camille to marry off Arthur." Well he had known that, but Merlin rather foolishly cast the thought aside as Maleagant continued. "And I do not care so much for that either. In fact, the only thing I was looking forward to was destroying my sisters joy of becoming a Princess of the famed Camelot."

"By killing Arthur." Merlin assumed. He smirked. "You must have been one lonely boy, Maleagant. Someone with no friends."

Maleagant threw his hand out and Merlin slammed against the door with a painful thud. "I can quite quickly discover where your friend lives, Martin. I can discover it quickly and I can have her in my chambers before you arise from the ground."

His head spinning from the blow it received and still not completely over the blood loss, Merlin lifted himself from the ground shakily then said, quite clearly, "My name is _Merlin_." Acting on pure instinct, he threw Maleagant back just as ferociously, possibly even more so as he was now unconscious.

Merlin jolted up in surprise at his own strength and his face fell in surprise. "Um… That's not good." He rushed across the room, ignoring his own wavering and pressed his fingers to the prince's neck. "Oh no." he whispered. Satisfied with the fact he was indeed alive, Merlin pulled back quickly and wondered what the hell he should do. "Oh no."

He was alone. His hands flew up to his head to clutch his hair. "Oh no." He was alone with an unconscious and – Merlin checked the Prince's head again and blanched – _bleeding_ Prince. He shook his head in doubt. _This cannot be happening. _"Oh no." he looked to Maleagant, the door and Maleagant again.

The _bleeding_ Prince was still there! Surely he would get the blame! "Oh no, oh no, oh no." And then, when he woke up he would further tell everyone that he had magic. He gulped and quickly turned on his heel, went out the door and locked it behind him.

There were still the eyes. "Jonathan!" Merlin called out. He was met with a stiff silence. "I know you're there and I know Arnold has you following me. I need your help."

Stiffly, the servant appeared from around the corner and Merlin finally saw the man that had been acting as his shadow for a few months now. He was tall and gangly with crooked teeth and a dopey face. But his eyes were keen, Merlin noted. Sharp with flecks of yellow through the brown that made him look like a hawk. "I… I'm sorry." he whimpered and Merlin approached him, lightly picking up a vase that was close by. "Arnold made me…"

"I don't care." he confessed. "Especially when it is I that should be apologising."

Jonathan frowned and Merlin smashed the vase over the older man's head and he was taken by surprise and fell unconscious. "That's right Merlin. Two bodies in less than five minutes." But for Jonathan he didn't care so much. He hadn't used magic on him. So he dragged him back into the alcove he'd been hiding in and left him there, running off to find the dragon.

* * *

**A/N:**

*When I was younger and we'd go on holidays, my parents would get hotel rooms with two Queen beds and make me and my brother share. I was about eight, making my brother fifteen, and he'd fallen asleep head to foot with me playing playstation… He has long kind of flat feet and I woke up with his foot right in my face and I sort of stared at it in my half-sleep trying to figure out why there was a foot beside my face. Then, it slapped me. (I say slap, because it made a 'slap' noise)

I was so shocked, I fell out of bed and my brother was crawling over the edge a second later to look down and ask me why I slept on the floor.

Please review :) Makes me feel special and loved... :S


	24. Mind Blown

**A/N: **So, almost 10 years on FF and I just learnt I can review my own stories... I got curious and tried it... Hilariously, it worked. I apologise for all the mistakes in the last chapter. I was on an 'end of exam' high and didn't edit it and just posted... BUT I went back and fixed all the ones I could see, so it should be better. **Guest, **why, thank you. Yeah, I'm getting back into the swing of writing on a weekly basis _and_ no more IV drip in my arm making the world screwy... I'm horrifying at editing my own grammar, but I'm trying. :) Thank you for your review, and please continue. **bubzchoc, **thanks! Just random, my nickname is so similar to your name, that I keep typing it whenever I reply to a review. **Distressed Clover, **yep. Got slapped by a foot. And Merlin is good... I hope... **Willa Jane, **THANK YOU! **MythCAngel,** well I don't know which ones you think are OC's but the rest are all right thus far! You're winning, actually. **jayley,** read on. **Bundibird, **yeaah, read the above. :) And I try on a weekly basis just to keep people around. :) **A maze thing,** subtly isn't his strong point, I don't think... in the original legend, he hated Arthur so much he kidnapped Gwen and Bagdemagus... well, you'll see. There's a reason why I mentioned the room... **IndiaMoore, **here is more. **mrlnfan,** Yes. Yes he is. **HeartNimbus, **next instalment. **ithoughtslashmeanthorror **Yes. Yes you can review yourself.

**Disclaimer: **OH! I own Maleagant and Camille and... and really, all the bad people. I'm a horrible person... But the rest is the BBC's

* * *

**Mind Blown**

The Great Dragon stared down at Merlin from his great height, looking somewhat stunned. "You did what?"

"I'm not repeating it." Merlin shouted angrily. "I did what you said, I kept Maleagant from killing Arthur, only that turned him against me and I wasn't going to let Gwen get hurt. Bagdemagus and Uther are planning the wedding for Arthur and Camille and Maleagant doesn't care so much for hurting Arthur but destroying his sister's happiness, which I don't greatly understand. I think it's a game the two play with each other. Now he's unconscious, Dragon. I do not know what to do with an unconscious man!" He gasped in a deep breath, feeling faint from exploding so much.

"You must ensure he doesn't marry the Princess!" the Dragon roared. "The Witch will only control him and turn him into her own personal puppet."

"Make sure Maleagant doesn't kill Arthur, make sure Camille doesn't marry Arthur, keep with your destiny Merlin. I can't do all of this at once when I can barely walk in a straight line!" Merlin wasn't really angry at the dragon, just angry with himself. He growled and sat down in the cave, glaring at nothing. "He knows about my magic."

The dragon tilted his head down to Merlin's level. "Well you must ensure he forgets."

"How? I don't know any memory spells." Merlin looked up at him weakly. "I don't know what to do. I need your help."

Tilting his head to the side, the dragon rose up. "I think that I can ensure both Princess Camille _and _Prince Maleagant are taken care of. There is a spell you can learn that will help you with what you need to do."

Merlin frowned. "What sort of spell?"

"You are still studying to become the powerful man you are destined to be, are you not? Did you not recently find a room, filled with magical books?" A flash of surprise crossed his face and Merlin nodded. _How does the Dragon know about my room?_ "Somewhere in that room, there should be a green pendant that looks to belong to a woman. Find it and wrap it around Maleagant's neck. From there, you shall know what to do." Before Merlin could question what the dragon meant, he breathed out a fine gold mist over him and Merlin's mind cleared.

"Oh." he said and nodded. "Alright. I… I can do that." Merlin stood back up and went to leave.

"And Merlin?" the dragon called out. He turned to face him again. "Make sure no one takes off that pendant until after the Prince leaves Camelot."

Merlin frowned but then nodded, still unsure. "Thank you." he made those words sincere at least and smiled up at the dragon.

"You are welcome, young Warlock. But remember this. Everything comes at a price and one day, you shall pay it." The dragon bowed his head before taking flight, his chains dangling wildly below him.

Merlin watched as the dragon went and hid in the caverns above and then rushed back upstairs and snuck into the library, where Geoffrey was, thankfully, asleep. He went and found the secret room and unlocked the door.

As usual, he ignored the rattling that came from the cupboard and started searching around for the pendant. He knew he had seen it whilst cleaning but he couldn't remember where.

"If I were a pendant, where would I hide?"

There was a cabinet, a glass one, containing all different objects. He turned to stare at the finely crafted and clearly expensive artisan and then inspected the objects inside. On the top, there was a statue of a woman's bust and wrapped around the neck was a gold chain with a green stone strapped to the middle of it. "And this is why I am an all powerful Warlock." he grinned at his success then used a chair to get to reach the great height that the pendant sat upon.

Carefully, he opened the glass cabinet and reached his hand inside, lifting the fine jewellery from the neck hold. He felt the magic emanating from it and grinned with glee. "Don't worry Arthur. As always, I have done your work for you. Maleagant will be gone, Camille will be unwed and Gwen shall be safe." He was only slightly disturbed by the fact he was talking to himself, but Merlin was so ecstatic that he had almost finished his role in this whole thing in only two days, that he didn't care so much for the craziness.

It was approaching evening as he made his way back through to Maleagant's room and if the prince wasn't still unconscious, Merlin would gratefully knock him out again. He twirled the pendant in his hand and reached the Prince's room uninterrupted.

Maleagant was, only _slightly_ to Merlin's disappointment, still unconscious. Merlin quickly wrapped the pendant around his neck and tucked it under his shirt so no one could see it later. He held his hands over the prince and recited the magic the Dragon had taught him. "_Gemyndblíþe speneoþsestán, tóbregdan eac náht ingemynd, tóbregdan eac náht gemuning, tóbregdan eac náht ingemynd, tóbregdan._"

With a flash of gold eyes, the Prince of Anglia batted his own lids open and then twisted his head around in confusion. Merlin scurried away, unsure of exactly what he had done and then watched as Maleagant sat up, wincing as he touched his head. "What happened?"

Merlin swallowed stiffly and replied, "I don't know, sire. I heard a crash and came in here. You were unconscious."

He rubbed his head and groaned. "I don't remember…" Relief flooded through Merlin as Maleagant turned his head and looked at Merlin, no hostility in his eyes. In fact, there was something stranger than hostility. There was misunderstanding and puzzlement. "Who are you?"

_The spell made him forget me all together…_ He felt his burdens ease and said, "Merlin, milord. I am the servant that has been given to you during your stay in Camelot."

Maleagant frowned. "Camelot?"

_…Or maybe he's forgotten his journey from Anglia altogether. _He was starting to fill with worry. "Yes… where you have been staying for the past few days."

"Where is Camelot?"

Worry turned to dread and dread to fear. "Milord, Camelot." he reminded him. "King Uther's lands."

Maleagant's frown turned worrisome. "Who am I?"

"Oh no." Merlin stood up and bolted from the chambers again, this time to call a guard. When he found one just outside the chambers he panted, "Go get Gaius. Quickly!"

* * *

Arthur was pacing. He didn't often pace, but when he did it was usually because he was highly stressed or nervous or when Morgana started annoying him and he had to hold himself back from yanking her hair out… not that his resolve on that ever lasted long.

There was a knock on his door and Arthur stilled and stared, his heart thundering in his chest. "Who is it?" he called out, to delay the inevitable.

"Princess Camille."

Arthur stomped his foot and put his fist in his mouth to stop his screams of frustration. He had hoped she'd fallen ill or something. "Be there in a minute!" he shouted out, his voice croaking. He looked around his room, maybe to find an escape but under the ruse to see if everything was straightened out.

It all looked fine. There was food laid out on the table and a candle lit between two chairs. It looked very romantic by all means. Arthur had specifically drawn the curtains around the bed closed to ruin any idea Camille might have, because he didn't want that _ever_ to happen.

But still he delayed. "Arthur?" she called from outside, getting impatient.

He whimpered.

Arthur did _not_ want to do this. "Coming." he choked and went over to his door, slamming his head lightly on the wood a few times before pasting on a joyous smile and opening the door. "Milady." he said, bowing slightly.

Before he could even take her hand, Camille indignantly slid it under his lips to kiss. He tried not to make a face in anger and lightly pecked her knuckles. To kiss another royals hand especially was to show them respect and submit to them.

That last thing Arthur wanted to do was submit anything to Camille.

"Your room is not much larger than mine." she said conversationally walking in like she owned the place. "What of the kings?"

"What about the King?" he asked, closing the door behind her.

"Are his chambers bigger? Will our chambers be bigger?" she turned and faced him, her tight and slender face pulled back in questioning.

"I… I…" he shook his head and pulled himself out of his stupor. "We have chicken." he said gallantly, waving his arms over the table.

She raised her eyebrow and rolled her eyes and for the first time Arthur realised he she was waiting beside her chair. "Oh…" he quickly rushed around and pulled the chair out for her, "Milady." he said and she nodded her head curtly before sitting down.

Arthur went and sat across from her and looked to the food. "I hope it is to your liking."

"Most likely not." she commented but preceded to pick up her cutlery anyway and started on the food.

In the most awkward and excruciating dinner of his life the two ate in complete silence. Well, Arthur ate and Camille more or less pushed her food around her plate and cut it up until it was shredded into scraps, eating two bites that Arthur could count. She lifted her hand up to her lips bitterly, wiping the corner of her mouth. "What do you know of culture?" Camille asked suddenly and from almost nowhere.

Then Arthur noticed her staring at his collection of knight's helmets from Roman times to most recently. "I um…" he stared at his own collection then at the few maps he had on the walls, framed rather than paintings. On one of them he caught sight of the borderlands of Camelot and Essetir then said, "The lower class trade sheep for wives."

The words were already out of Arthur's mouth before he could think of why he said them.

Camille looked at him with mild disgust and Arthur felt like slapping himself, or maybe Merlin for arming him with such information. "I don't understand why you would know that."

"My manservant told me." he said before he could stop himself. If Arthur could kick himself under the table, he would. Only he hadn't quite figured out how by the time Camille got to her next point."

"When I live here, we're going to have to do something about the staff in the palace. The laundry maids have absolutely ruined my dress, the cooks are horrifying and the handmaiden…" Camille just scoffed. "She's not worth the air she breathes."

Arthur frowned, suddenly offended as he knew just which hand maiden she was talking about. "Guinevere isn't some unimportant servant, Camille. She is my step-sisters closest friend."

"Morgana is _friends _with her?" Camille snorted. "Well that proves something about the likes of her."

Arthur growled. "She happens to be my friend too." he said, getting angrier. "So is her brother, if you must know."

Camille snorted. "How are you _friends_ with a _maid_? Do you not even regard your stations?"

"Her station is greater than yours, on your best day." he snapped, though when he thought of it later, it made no sense to the young prince.

An outraged cry erupted from the Princess's lips. "You take that back!"

"No." Arthur huffed. "She's not only your better and more intelligent than you, but she's kinder and funnier and sweeter and more beautiful than you will ever be." With those words, Arthur knew he was spending _far_ too much time with Merlin.

There was a second shrill and Camille picked up her fork. Arthur flashed back to being six years old and Camille picking up a stick off the ground and ducked underneath the table just as the cutlery embedded itself on the chair behind him with a _twang_. "You could have killed me!" he shouted as he stared at the shivering cutlery.

"Death by fork! What a way for the _brave_ Prince of Camelot to go." she hissed. "You're such a… such a… I hate you Arthur Pendragon!" she screamed.

"Yeah? Well. I hate you too!" he called back.

With a third and final scream, Camille picked up her plate and tossed it across the room and it smashed into the wall. She was about to pick up the knife when the door flung open and Morgana stood there, puffing. "Arthur. Camille. Come quick." she said, panting. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair in a mess.

"What happened?" Arthur demanded.

"I-I don't know. Prince Maleagant… Uther… Merlin… The Prince's chambers… It's quite unbelievable." Not liking the combination of words, Arthur rushed to the door, picking Morgana up as he went by and actually hugging her after he slammed his door closed.

She looked confused as he put her down. "You just saved my life and I can never repay you enough." he said to her and then took off down the hall towards where Maleagant was supposed to be housed, Morgana hot on his heels and Camille nowhere in sight.

They reached the chambers of the Prince and saw worried guards outside and Merlin bouncing from foot to foot between pacing the long length of the hall. "What happened?" Arthur asked, pressing his hand on Merlin's shoulders.

"I… I…" Merlin looked up and down the hall then dragged Morgana and Arthur aside, earning strange looks from the guards, two of which were from Anglia. "Maleagant attacked Gwen and I confronted him and I… I… I knocked him out."

Arthur's jaw dropped in utter disbelief. "This is why I said, unbelievable." Morgana murmured, staring at Merlin.

"He attacked Guinevere?" Arthur frowned. "But you said–"

"I lied. You couldn't be seen beating up the Prince so I thought I'd have words with him and…"

"You knocked him out." Arthur finished the sentence for him.

"Yeah." Merlin grinned half-heartedly but judging from the look on Arthur's face he wasn't impressed.

"And when he wakes up?!" Arthur hissed and waved his arms wildly about.

"That's the problem Arthur." Morgana said, taking his arm. "He has woken up. And he doesn't remember. _Anything_."

"I'm only telling you because Morgana slapped it out of me." Merlin explained, staring at Arthur with a pleading look. "I just told Uther and Bagdemagus that I found him like that… Gaius is in there now checking if things are permanent."

"Did you tell him what really happened?"

Merlin's eyes widened in pure innocence as he nodded. "Of course. But Arthur… I don't want to die." He stared at Arthur, imploringly. "I-I didn't mean… He attacked…" Merlin looked away from him and fell back against the wall, breathing heavily.

Arthur grabbed Merlin's shoulders and shook him. "Merlin, listen to me. You're not going to die. I'm not going to tell anyone it was you and neither is Morgana. Isn't that right, Morgana?" he looked down at his stepsister, glaring at her.

She nodded quickly and said, "I promise, we won't say a thing."

Merlin shook his head and slammed his hands against his eyes. "I shouldn't have…" he stared but Arthur squeezed his shoulders and silenced him.

"No. You shouldn't have. But if he hurt Gwen, then I understand." Arthur pulled Merlin's arms away from his face but Merlin flinched. A small frown appeared on Arthur's face and before Merlin could even recognise what was happening, Arthur pushed up Merlin's sleeve and saw the long deep cut, stitched up but un-bandaged. "What's this?" he asked, turning the wound over. "Is… Did he…?" Arthur looked up to the door and saw red. "I'll kill him."

Merlin let out a weak laugh. "Gwen said that was something you might say."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Arthur hissed and grabbed the arm that was injured, causing Merlin to flinch.

Morgana stepped between them. "Now is not the time, Arthur. We need to find out how bad Maleagant is and make sure Merlin isn't blamed."

Arthur roughly let go of Merlin's arm, turning his head from him and facing Morgana. "We need to get in that room. We need to know what's going on in there."

After a moment of silence, Arthur heard Merlin shuffling behind him. Arthur turned his head slightly to see a calmer Merlin coming forward. "I can get us in."

"How?"

"The same way I can get in and out of any room in the castle…" Merlin shrugged. "The servants passages."

In the next minute, Morgana and Arthur were creeping up the servant's passages with Merlin and into Maleagant's chambers where, for some reason, no guards stood. The three of them crept to the door, Merlin on the floor, Morgana on his back and Arthur tall enough to stand above them and peer around the slightly opened entrance.

Gaius stood above the prince and was staring into his eyes and checking his pulse. "There is no sign of a concussion or anything. By all means, he has simply forgotten."

"One does not simply forget, Gaius!" Bagdemagus gushed. "Something must have happened."

Uther frowned, "Is this an enchantment of some sort?"

Gaius became suspiciously quiet then admitted, "If it is sire, it is none that I have ever seen." He gave a pointed look to Bagdemagus who frowned deeply and stared at his son who was, for all intensive purposes, not really there.

The harsh and normally angry Prince Maleagant was simply staring around the room with the innocence of a child seeing the world for the first time. He was watching Gaius and his equipment with fascination, occasionally breaking his silence by asking what something was. "Sire, I think it is for the best if you take him to somewhere more familiar. Maybe then his memories will become clearer or where one with more expertise than I could help him." Gaius offered.

Bagdemagus tore his eyes away from his son then looked to Gaius then lastly to Uther. "I believe it would be for the best. Uther, I am sorry for cutting our plans short however…"

"Bagdemagus, it is quite understandable. If it was Arthur or even Morgana, I would do the same."

Arthur grinned with glee, tittering with excitement. Both Morgana and Merlin looked up at him and he gushed under his breath, "They're leaving!"

Merlin frowned and Morgana simply rolled her eyes, but Arthur could safely presume neither of them had ever had a fork lodged in their chair by a crazy princess so he celebrated internally. "You stay here with your son. I shall have someone makes the arrangements for your departure." Uther promised, a hand rested on Bagdemagus' shoulder.

Merlin pulled away from the door as Gaius started to pack up his things and Uther left. Bagdemagus just stared at his son sadly. "Come on." Merlin muttered. "We know what's happening. Watching him grieve isn't right."

The Prince of Camelot _almost_ argued but then agreed with Merlin, dragging the ever-curious Morgana up from the ground and pulling her away, the door closing just before they could hear the most important conversation of them all.

* * *

As soon as Gaius had arrived in Maleagant's chambers and Merlin gushed his story out like the faucet in the lower town had been opened, he knew immediately what had been done. Though he had no idea how Merlin had learnt such a powerful spell, or where he found the Stone of Memories from, he knew what actions had to be taken.

Once Uther had left, Gaius remained behind to clear up his things. He gave the Prince Maleagant a strong sedative and he quickly fell asleep leaving Gaius alone to speak with Bagdemagus. "Sire, my ask a question of you?"

Humming, Bagdemagus looked up at Gaius, his eyes lost as he stared at his son. "Yes, of course Gaius."

"How long have we known each other?"

Bagdemagus snorted. "Too long, old friend. More than forty years now. I remember you treating my grazed knee as a child."

Gaius smiled lightly at this. "Then as a friend, concerned for your well being… why are you friends with Uther when your eldest has magic?"

The King of Anglia's head snapped up and he was suddenly more alert. "What– When… How did you find out?" Bagdemagus said quietly, panic in his voice.

With a pace made by age, Gaius crossed the room and picked up Maleagant's sword and handed it out hilt first to Bagdemagus. "It is the sword he used to fight Prince Arthur. My ward, Merlin, handed him that sword in the morning. Then, when he was drawn into the fight between them, Merlin saw his practice magic then defended Arthur and was hit by the sword. It was sharp." To test the theory, Bagdemagus ran his finger over the blade and pulled a bloody finger back.

Looking up at Gaius, Bagdemagus's eyes were filled with disbelief. "Maleagant tried to kill Arthur?"

"He also threatened Merlin's close friend, Guinevere." Gaius went on. "And Merlin, in his misguided way, found a necklace that would make Maleagant forget…"

Bagdemagus turned his head sharply at Maleagant. "This is the work of _Merlin_? Hunith's son?"

"The spell only works as long as the prince wears the pendant." Gaius assured him. "He merely thought it would erase the memories of Gwen and himself and his ill wishes to Arthur, not the entire lot. He tried protecting them."

Shoulders slumping in relief, Bagdemagus placed a hand on his forehead. "He is a jealous child. I cannot explain it. I can't control him."

"Well, here is a start. The necklace. If I had a necklace to make you and Uther forget you were princes as children, my life would have been much easier." Gaius told cheerfully and even Bagdemagus even cracked a smile.

"So Merlin was merely trying to keep his friends safe."

"So it seems."

"Like father like son then." Gaius said nothing and Bagdemagus nodded understandingly. "I assume he doesn't know, then."

"If Uther found out…"

"Yes. I know. It's why I keep Maleagant's magic such a secret. Most likely why he resents me for it." Bagdemagus smiled and patted Gaius's shoulder. "You are a good man, old friend. A good man indeed."

"I try my best."

Bagdemagus turned back to the sleeping Maleagant. "I'll take him home. I'll remove the pendant once he is safe and locked up in his own room. Then I'll ensure nothing like this ever happens again."

"Like by _not _having Camille marry Arthur?"

Bagdemagus snorted. "Yes, _fine_ Gaius. Camille will marry some knight in my kingdom then. Does that appease you?"

"Not me sire, but the kingdom. Arthur doesn't care too much for your daughter and I would hate to think of the arguments day in and day out."

"That is why I'm glad to send her away." Bagdemagus confessed. The two men stonily stared at each other before bursting out into short laughs.

* * *

After walking Morgana to her chambers, Arthur turned and saw Merlin was still following him. He glared slightly, unsure of why he was angry exactly but knew it had something to do with Merlin. He grunted and then went out of his way to push passed Merlin and go to his own chambers.

Merlin, like a lost pup, followed him. He _always_ did. They reached his chambers and Arthur opened the door, fully expecting to see the dinner with Camille still there, but slightly surprised that the chambers had been emptied. _Someone must have cleaned them…_

He glanced at Merlin then went over to his partition where he changed. Merlin stood by the door, looking down at his feet and Arthur could see him through the hinges of the screen looking dejected. "Get me my night clothes." he ordered.

After a moment of hesitation, Merlin obeyed and went and found Arthur's usual nightshirt and trousers and handed them over the panels. When he was dressed, Arthur walked out and went to his bed. Merlin was already tapering all the candles, turning them off letting the fire die.

Arthur watched him, leaning against this wall for a moment then asked, "Didn't you trust me?"

Merlin stopped and turned his head. "What?"

"To tell me about Maleagant. Didn't you trust me?"

Merlin frowned and shook his head. "No. I mean…" he held his hand up to force Arthur to pause then started again. "I trust you _but _I didn't trust you not to do something rash."

"Rash like, knock the prince unconscious and give him amnesia?"

Merlin flinched. "I didn't mean for it to happen." Merlin squeezed his eyes. "He attacked me and he was threatening Gwen and I… I lost control." he whispered the last part and looked afraid.

Arthur thought of the sorcerer Merlin had killed and Gaius's words about Merlin's guilt. "You defended yourself." Arthur said clearly. "He attacked you first, correct?"

After shaking his head, Merlin murmured, "You don't understand." And it was what they both knew to be true. Arthur _didn't _understand. Merlin turned his back to Arthur and stoked the fire.

Arthur was horrible with emotions. He hated them and hated to confront his own let alone help others deal with theirs. "Look, I get why you're upset. I do. But you didn't have to do that. If you'd just told me–"

"You would have attacked him and you would have gotten Camelot into trouble." Merlin said a sad smile gracing his lips. "Your father would have thrown you in the dungeons and Maleagant would have killed you."

"I'd have defeated him." Arthur argued.

"He's stronger than you are and older and- Ow!" Merlin rubbed his head where the goblet Arthur tossed at him had struck. He glared at him with a frown. "What was that for?"

"For suggesting Maleagant is better than me." Arthur snarled, his face pulled into one of utter offence. "Maleagant isn't better than me." he said firmly, almost trying to convince himself.

Merlin's features softened. "No. He's not. You're not corrupt like him and you never will be. You wouldn't hurt people for sport."

It was Arthur's turn to fall silent as he thought of his sins and shook his head to clear the darker thoughts. "The point of all of this was, Merlin, that if something should ever happen to you like this again, tell me and I shall deal with it." He glanced down at Merlin's arm, the edge of the scar poking through the sleeve. "It's my job, as your master, to ensure you're properly cared for. That means others can't attack you and get away with it. If anyone was to find out about you being the one who rendered Maleagant unconscious…"

"I know." he said quietly, curling his arms over his legs and pressing his head on them. Arthur stared down at him for a long while until Merlin finally looked up at him, his bright blue eyes sparkling with intimidation. "There's something else I should tell you then."

Arthur felt dread curl up in the pit of his stomach. "What is it?" Because if it was something bad, Arthur would snap necks. Merlin did follow him around like a pup but Arthur went after him like a bloodhound and _no one_ was going to harm what was his.

* * *

Merlin sat with Morgana under the shade of a tree as they watched Arthur 'train' with Jonathan under the watchful eye of Sir Arnold. The message was quite clear. _Stay away from my manservant,_ burnt in Arthur's eyes as he glared at Arnold across the field.

The morning before, Bagdemagus had left with his son and highly annoyed daughter Camille – though Arthur refused to explain that – and Arthur had taken up to finding Jonathan himself and 'sorting out the problem' as he said.

"Why is he doing this?" Merlin groaned, watching Arthur pummel the shield Jonathan was holding. The night before he told Arthur everything about Jonathan and Sir Arnold, leaving out the exact location of his hiding spot in the library and the fact he used magic to hold Arnold off. When Arthur heard, he was furious and immediately sent Merlin to his room to sleep while he thought about things.

After the Prince and the King had seen off the party from Anglia – Camille receiving the coldest reception from the prince out of them all – Arthur told Sir Arnold to come to training the next morning with all the knights and to bring his servant, Jonathan.

Now, Arthur was attacking the servant, who could barely hold up his shield against Arthur's rage.

Morgana shrugged to Merlin's question. "He cannot confront him directly. Uther likes Arnold and you are a servant. If Arthur defends you publically, he'll be criticised and you'll be thrown in the dungeons, punished for the familiarity. This way, he sends a warning to Arnold and you don't end up the new chew toy for the guards."

Merlin winced at the thought and when a particularly harsh blow hit Jonathan's shield and sent him to his knees. Arthur backed up, looking as though he cared, but the servant was barely on his feet again when Arthur landed a new blow. "He's going at it a bit."

"Oh yes. Arthur's going to kill him." Morgana sang gleefully.

"You're mean." Merlin said, slightly astonished at the realisation. Morgana just hummed cheerfully so Merlin turned back to the training session. "It's not his fault. We servants can't just say no to those above us, you know?" Arthur had Jonathan holding onto a shield and was, by the looks of things, taking great pleasure in beating up the target. "I should go help him." Merlin sighed, standing up.

Morgana grabbed his arm and tugged him back down to the grass. "Just a little while longer."

"Mor_gana_." Merlin glared at her but she interrupted his almost tirade.

"How are you and Gwen? Are you still avoiding each other over that kiss?"

His eyes widened in surprise and he recoiled. "What… How do you know about that?"

She rolled her eyes as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She _is_ my best friend. She told me."

"Well did she tell you that we talked about it and we're just friends?" Merlin asked, slightly alarmed. "Tell me she told you that?"

"We haven't spoken for a few days. I gave her the day off because of what happened and she's at home." Morgana confessed but there was hope in her eyes. "So, you and Gwen are just friends?"

"Best friends." he corrected her and smiled. "It's all sorted."

"Good." she said, looking happier than she had all morning. "I'm quite glad you and Gwen are just friends."

Suspiciously, Merlin raised his eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because, well… If you two were to court each other and something was to go wrong, it would ruin us altogether." Used to the way she spoke, Merlin was able to decipher the string of words that came out of Morgana's mouth and slowed them down in his head. "And then everything would be awkward. Obviously Arthur would be your friend first and then _he_ wouldn't be able to spend time with Elyan and neither would you but Elyan only ever stays around when Leon is there and that would be painful for Leon… Really, it would ruin _everything_."

"What about the part of it ruining us, again?" Merlin pressed on.

Morgana glared at him. "Just don't date Gwen. I forbid you as Uther's ward."

A large warm grin spread over Merlin's face. "You're jealous!"

"Am not." she snapped.

"You're jealous that Gwen and I kissed, aren't you?"

Morgana shoved him so hard he fell, sprawled out on his back. "Say that again and I'll have you thrown into the stocks." she huffed, standing up. She crossed her arms over her chest and stormed off towards the castle.

Merlin sat up and rubbed his shoulder that hit a knobbly root that stuck out of the dirt from the tree. "Women." he muttered under his breath.

Pushing himself up from the ground he remembered Jonathan and sighed, feeling sorry for the servant. "Sire!" he called out to Arthur. "I want a go." he went over knowing instantly he would regret it, especially with the cut on his arm and the bruise on his shoulder, but he couldn't watch Jonathan suffer anymore.

Arthur glared at him but then realised what he was doing and relaxed. "Fine. Donovan, give Merlin the shield." After watching the hurt cross Jonathan's face and the relief not soon after, Merlin wondered for the first time if the nobles just purposefully elected to not use servant's proper names.

As a sword came crashing into the shield he was suddenly holding, he realised it didn't matter. Arthur, Morgana and Gwen all knew his name and they were his friends. There was a second crash on the shield. _As long as they don't kill me first…_

* * *

**A/N: **So for people wondering what the spells mean, the one in this chapter:

_Gemyndblíþe speneoþsestán, tóbregdan eac náht ingemynd, tóbregdan eac náht gemuning, tóbregdan eac náht ingemynd, tóbregdan_

Memories bound by the stone, wake with no memory, wake with no remembrance, wake with no recollection, wake.

I just make them up and painstakingly translate word by word so it's definitely not grammatically correct according to Old English. I can't find a translator that will just translate the whole sentence.

Also, I got an inbox message from someone and I was a bit... annoyed? Upset? Dunno... If people think I'm conceited for replying for reviews on the story, I'm not trying to be. I myself like when authors do that because sometimes, they answer questions I was wondering. ALSO, I just prefer to get all my replies out at once rather than do it tiers... And I like chatting with people on FF! You guys are cool! So. Yeah. That is all. Go about your business. :/

P.S. **A maze thing, **either I'm predictable or you are psychic and refuse to admit it.


	25. The Winning's of the Year

**A/N: **My reviewers are awesome. That's all I have to say. I'm just wearing a massive grin and thinking how amazing you all are. Thus, the early update. **bubzchoc,** thanks! **CGO7**, update! I'm liking the Mergana too... Honestly, I didn't expect it to become as intergal in the plot as I have decidedly made it... **Distressed Clover, **lol... Camille is based on someone that I know though her character, from the original legend, was a sorceress who bewitched Arthur into making her his bride... She may return, I haven't decided. **IndiaMoore, **More is here. Thanks :) **mrlnfan, **soon... very soon... **HonourProject **yeah, that happened. But it's okay! I'm ignoring them and still replying on the story. Thanks for the review! **gorgeousangel,** I've started planting the seeds for the ArthurGwen one... They have more of history and while I sort of made Morgana and Merlin be 'love at first sight' I'm making Gwen and Arthur's relationship a bit more, 'You get on my nerves but I like you' - Gwen and 'Who the hell do you think you are, but you're kind of cut' - Arthur. More dynamics, I guess... :) There are clear signs they're friends but they don't like each other yet. Like I wrote in the last chapter, they hardly interact with no one else around. **High Serpent King, **Arnold will play a bigger part in the next adventure... Did I ever mention that? That's I've broken these up into adventures in my head... Probably should have... **Mediatrix, **Yeah, the funniest part of it all is that they've read all of this story but they've never review before so... huh. It was strange. But it's cool, I ignored it. Thanks for the review!

Behold some emotional Arthur moments and uh... sorry for the time jump:

* * *

**The Winning's of the Year**

After a particularly long and harsh day of being a manservant to Arthur, Merlin crashed into his bed and snuggled up into his blankets, closing his eyes.

In the last eight months since the Prince's birthday and learning his 'destiny', he'd kept Arthur and what felt like half of Camelot safe from bandits, poisonings, angry neighbouring kingdoms, bandits, a crazy sorcerer who wanted to kill Gaius, a possessed child, bandits, some sort of troll and oh yes – did he mention the _bandits_?

Apparently, whenever Arthur rode out of Camelot, a beacon that no one could see but Bandits, flew up into the air and Merlin was forced to run and duck as he knocked out as many of the attackers as he could with magic without Arthur or any of the knights realising. And because he usually hid in bushes whilst doing as such, Arthur had taken up calling him a girl and a handmaiden.

But he took it. He took it because the prospect of having such a destiny excited him, even if it did wear him to the bone.

There had been non-stressful times too. He, Gwen and Morgana often escaped the castle together and would climb trees and play silly games and there was that awkward month where his voice changed and Arthur couldn't stop laughing at him and the week where Arthur had a horrible flu and Merlin discovered there was a particular cover Arthur used only when he was ill like a comforter which left Merlin laughing at the prince. That was until, of course, a goblet struck Merlin in the back of the head.

He had the night off because Arthur was having dinner with his father and Cedric was attending them with Gwen and Helena and he wasn't needed.

So instead he decided to take a nap, curling his arms under his pillow and burying his head deep into the down until he had pretty much smothered himself. He was just drifting off into the most brilliant land of sleep when a loud knock to the door of Gaius' chambers pulled him from slumber into a semi-awake state where he could hear what was going on but not react to it.

The door the physician's chambers opened as Gaius said, "Come in."

"Gaius," it was the voice of Terrin, the Master of House. There was a secondary noise of metal jangling but Merlin thought nothing of it. "Congratulations, Physician."

"On what?" Gaius asked, shock in his accent.

"You won the betting pool."

"The what pool?"

"You placed one gold coin on your ward lasting as Prince Arthur's manservant for over a year. No one else bet anywhere close to that and many bet on when he would be fired. You won the entire pot, my friend."

Merlin sat bolt up, waking as he _remembered_. Today was exactly one year since he had started his employment with Arthur. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

Quickly scrambling out of bed, Merlin fell in a tangled heap on the ground with his covers. He heaved himself up anyway, threw himself at the doors and pushed through to see Terrin standing there, white hair sparse and all over the place on his shiny head and blue eyes shining manically, holding a large bucket of gold crowns. His mouth fell open as he realised practically everyone in Camelot must have placed a bet. _Was Arthur really that bad with his servants?_

"Don't you remember Gaius?" Merlin interrupted, before Terrin could say anything more. Both men looked up at him in shock. "You laughed and said you'd put a single coin on the year. You made me deliver it in a letter to Terrin and only told me of it later. Remember?" he said, trying to beseech his guardian into covering for him.

"Ah…" he replied cautiously, looking between Terrin and Merlin. "I remember now. I must have forgotten in my old age. I have won all of that?"

"Yes, you have." Terrin chuckled. "Four hundred ninety-two crowns, Physician. You should be proud."

Gaius shot Merlin a withering look. "Proud indeed. Thank you Terrin. If you would mind leaving the winnings here…" Terrin did and soon after taking a potion to help him with his sore arthritic fingers, he left.

When the door closed behind the Master of House, the silence the physician and his ward were plunged into was deafening. Gaius wandered around his chambers for a little while, still tending to his potions and Merlin stood there, staring at him, shivering slightly in fear. "G-Gaius?"

The physician ignored him.

Merlin didn't know what to do. He went to move, but Gaius turned his head sharply and indicated he should stay exactly where he was. Soon after, Gaius went out into the hallway and returned moments later, pleased to find Merlin hadn't budged an inch.

He realised what Gaius must have done when he'd left, when Arthur arrived looking confused. As he was allowed into the chambers, he spotted Merlin and then the gold coins. He turned back to Merlin in shock and was about to ask where the gold came from when Gaius said clearly, "Sit. Both of you."

Merlin wanted to warn Arthur, he really did, but he was petrified of what would happen if he opened his mouth. He had never seen Gaius so angry. They sat on either side of the bench, Gaius hovering over them. "What's– "

"Silence." Gaius shut Arthur up quick smart then, picked up the bucket and dumped it on the table between them. "Now, I want you both to explain to me why I shouldn't go straight to Uther and tell him what you two have done. I'm sure he'd have a thing or two to say about rigging the gambling pool in Camelot in your favour."

Arthur looked at the gold then back at Merlin, understanding. "Gaius–" he started.

"You know Arthur, I thought you may have grown and matured over the last year. I thought that Merlin had a good influence on you and for the first time, I saw the man you might become." Gaius glared at him. "But to know you only let Merlin into your life for monetary purposes."

"It wasn't like that!" he defended.

"And Merlin!" Gaius turned his harsh look to his ward, interrupting whatever the Prince was about to say. "I thought you gaining a job with Arthur was for selfless reasons. To assist me to have enough to raise you. What had you planned to do with all of this gold?"

Merlin gaped. "I wouldn't have kept it all. I would have sent some home and given you the rest!"

"Do either of you understand why I am angry?" Gaius demanded.

Both boys shook their heads and Gaius narrowed his eyes. "Both of you are too young to understand this, but now if anyone was to find out about this, everything you two had done together and for each other will be tainted. Everyone will think you did it for the gold and maybe, you'll start casting doubt on each other and that trust and will be gone. Even I now believe that this last year has been entirely for this." He nodded accusingly at the bucket.

Merlin and Arthur caught each other's eyes across the table and winced. _Did he only keep me around for the gold? _Merlin thought with a small frown and at the same time he saw all of Arthur's insecurities flash over his eyes as he watched Merlin. "I didn't." Merlin said quickly to Gaius. "I became his manservant because we needed to money, yes but… only enough to live. The bet was just an extra. A bonus."

"A bonus for a price of your friendship." Gaius snapped.

"No!" Merlin insisted, looking back at Arthur. "It wasn't like that. I'm not like that."

Arthur stared resolutely down his nose at the table then back to the coins. "We'll get rid of them." Arthur said. "All of them. Is that enough Gaius?"

"It depends, sire. Is it enough for you?" Gaius turned on his heel and left them to their own devices, Merlin and Arthur sitting in the room staring at each other with the coins between them.

"Arthur, I didn't… it wasn't the money." Merlin repeated.

Shaking his head, Arthur waved his hand dismissively. "I know that. But Gaius is right. We can't… we can't take this. This… all that gold is there because people thought we'd kill each other." He sighed and glanced at the gold longingly, despite his words.

Merlin stared at the bucket for a moment and thought of what Arthur had said. For a moment he thought of what he could do with all of the coins. He needed new clothes and couldn't get Gwen to keep letting out all of his shirts. He could buy himself a proper blade sharpener for his dagger, Arthur's sword sharpener much too large for the small blade and maybe even those nice boots he'd seen.

But the longer he stared at the gold, and the more replayed Arthur's words in his head, the more he hated the sight of them all. People had betted _against_ Arthur and Merlin. They thought they would fail. Each of those gold coins, bar one – the one they deposited – were from people wishing ill for them. "What if…" he looked to Arthur. "What if we split it between everyone?" he asked.

Arthur frowned, not understanding so Merlin went on. "Gaius needs new equipment and better ingredients and all this new stuff… that'll be sixty gold coins for everything, at the least. Gwen doesn't have new boots after hers were worn out for the winter. Five gold coins…"

Catching on Arthur said, "What about Elyan? His cloak is in shambles."

"A descent one is about seven coins. And… and my mother and Will don't have much."

"We'll send them fifty a piece." Arthur grinned. "That way, neither of us the money. Everyone else does. Everyone who believed in us."

Merlin smirked. "Elyan and Morgana both have coins in there, you know."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I also remember Leon mentioning something under his breath about three months."

They took a quill and paper and started dividing up the coins and in the end, managed to keep twenty for themselves. "I have a new sword to buy and you need clothes." Arthur said sternly. "It would be rather foolish of us _not_ to use some for ourselves."

"What if… what if I buy you the sword and you buy me the clothes." Merlin said and Arthur shrugged.

"If it makes you feel better." But Merlin noticed it made Arthur feel better too. They found leathers around the place and divided coins into different leathers and bound them into pouches with small labels on each.

When they had finished, it was almost time for Arthur to return to his chambers for sleep and his dinner when Merlin asked, "What now?"

Arthur shrugged. "You go to the kitchens and bring me my food?"

Merlin shook his head. "No. Not that… And you just had dinner! But that's not the point… I don't have to be your manservant anymore. You can fire me now."

For a few seconds, Arthur didn't get it but then blinked in surprise. "Wait… No. I'm not firing you."

"Arthur, face it. Last time your chambers were properly cleaned was when I got hit over the head by bandits and George took over my duties for the day."

"Please." Arthur stuck his hand up. "Don't remind me." The days had tortured Arthur, listening to George and his jokes about brass and his general perky and attentiveness scared the living daylights out of him.

"But… what now?" Merlin asked, tilting his head to the side.

Another few seconds passed as Arthur glared at Merlin like he was crazy. "You idiot, do you know how long it takes to train a half-descent manservant?"

Merlin leant forward conspiratorially. "I'm not even half-descent."

Arthur snorted. "Exactly. But no one else I know can pretend they know what they're doing half as well as you do and I'm much too busy to even bother."

"Busy sleeping in council meetings and having me forge your signature?"

"I told you to stop mentioning that."

* * *

The next morning the markets were open and Merlin set out to wake Arthur up extra early – or right on time, but seeing as Merlin always woke the prince late, it was early for him. When he saw Merlin bouncing up on his feet Arthur cuffed him over the head. "Stop looking so jittery. We're doing the right thing, but you don't have to look so damn happy about it."

Merlin rolled his eyes.

Arthur pulled his cloak on so no one would recognise him and they went around the markets after sending a sealed bag and letter to Ealdor with a very confused Leon as the messenger.

By the end of the afternoon Gwen was staring at a new pair of boots and a doll for her collection, Elyan had a cloak, Morgana had a new necklace, Gaius recieved an entire set of specialised equipment for his potion brewing, Mary the Cook received a new set of pots, they found Cedric some a fancy new polishing oil for his strangely vast collection, some new gloves for Leon, a hairpin for Helena, some coins for the stable boys, Merlin, new clothes and Arthur, a new sword, the two splitting up for a time to buy those things for the other.

When they returned to meet each other and exchange their purchases, Merlin looked at his in awe at the quality of the clothes and even saw the new boots he had wanted. His jaw gaped at that as he knew the boots on their own were nine crowns, made of finer quality.

"Arthur, how much did you spend?" Merlin asked warily.

Arthur looked up form his admiring of his new short sword and shrugged, not really paying attention. "Twenty-crown."

Merlin scoffed, looking at his new jerkin. Merlin had never had a jerkin. He just wore a tunic, not able to afford much more than that. "Arthur…" he groaned. "How much did you really spend?"

"I didn't use any extra money from the winnings." he said, glaring at Merlin. When that seemed to pain his young servant more, Arthur sighed. "Look," Arthur finally tore his eyes away from his new sword and said, "I can't have you die from the cold and if you keep complaining, I'll take it all back and buy myself a new sword."

He wouldn't, even if Merlin did keep complaining but it wasn't the point. "Arthur, I can't afford to pay you back."

"Think of it as an early birthday gift then. Look, there's even a stupid neckerchief." Arthur swung the sword around and peered at Merlin's face as he pulled out a blue-grey neckerchief to add to his collection. "Come on, I want to try this out. You said Gwen's father made it."

The afternoon went on as such, with Merlin admiring his new clothes and Arthur calling together an impromptu training session with Elyan. Usually Leon was there too, but he was on his way to Ealdor so just the blacksmith's son came. Merlin watched them, never joining in on the sword fights himself but grinned. There was no way Arthur had just kept him around for the winnings.

Arthur caught him staring at grinning at one point and raised one eyebrow in confusion and got a sort of sceptical, 'What the hell are you looking at' expression that just made Merlin snort with laughter. "Stop smiling." Arthur ordered him and Merlin just laughed harder.

\o/

They had a little over a hundred crowns left by the end of their day and Arthur was surprised at how much they could spend on their friends when they put their mind to it. Then he thought about what he wanted to do with the rest of the money and was surprised that he hadn't thought of it first. "Merlin?" the manservant looked up from his work, lighting the candles in Arthur's room and smiled. "Can I have a hundred coins?"

Merlin frowned and asked, "What are you going to do with them?"

He didn't reply, swallowing stiffly. "Just a hundred. The rest you can keep for yourself."

"But we said–"

"It's not for me." he said. "I just, can't tell you who it is for."

Merlin stared at him but then a look of ultimate trust crossed his face. "Alright." he said, smiling. "You can take all of the rest. I don't want any."

With a roll of his eyes, Arthur said, "Merlin. Be smart. Take the rest and put it aside. Start saving money for yourself and stop sending everything to your mother."

Merlin blushed and looked away. "Who else is going to take care of her?"

"She has a hundred crowns now for herself and Will. I'm sure that'll be enough for a long while. Now you can go. Have the night off and do whatever it is you do."

He put down the taper and said, "There is a party in the lower tonight. Gwen and I are going together, if you wish to come."

Arthur shook his head, "Have fun."

It took hours for him to make sure everyone in the castle was asleep. The lower town was abuzz with festivities but he wasn't going down that far. If Arthur was to be seen… he didn't want to think of the consequences.

Because on one hand, it had been many years since the fight but on the other, Uther knew how to hold a grudge and when Arthur had asked for Kay to be in his patrol, the man had gone livid.

So it was in the middle of the night when Arthur left his chambers, black cloak over his shoulders, one hundred coins in his pocket. He went out into the upper town, where most of the knights with families were housed. The bachelors amongst them lived up in the castle, but even Leon's family lived down there, despite the knight having chambers in the lower castle.

He found his way to one house he was particularly familiar with and, after peering around, knocked on the door. When no one answered, he knocked louder and three minutes later, after a gruff, 'I'm coming' from inside, the door swung open.

And Arthur was affronted with a face he hadn't properly seen for years.

The disgraced Knight, Sir Ector had not changed one bit, or at least not to Arthur. He still limped the old injury he refused to talk about taking up much of his mobility in the recent years. He still had the same gruff brown beard, though it was wilder than what he remembered and his eyes still were a dazzling green. "Arthur?" he breathed.

With a quick nod, Arthur looked up and down the street. "Can I come in? I won't be longer than a minute."

Ector stepped aside and Arthur rushed inside, not wanting anyone his father might have put up to keep Arthur and Ector separated to see him. "You've grown."

Arthur nodded slowly. "People tend to do that."

Ector smiled proudly. "You barely came up to my waist last time I saw you."

"I was eight." he mumbled, looking at the compacted dirt beneath his feet with great interest. The fire blazed in the hearth and Arthur could see the door that led to Ector's room and the one where he and Kay used to sleep in as children.

His throat closed up and he fought of emotion. "Here." he swung his hand out and in it was the purse of coins. "For you."

After a moment, Ector took the bag and opened it. "Arthur, what is this?"

Arthur shrugged, already heading to the door. "My father won't give you your retirement as a Knight, but I can. I mean, it's no where near what you're owed but, it's something." He rested his hand on the door handle but Ector took his arm and dragged him back until he was standing right in front of him.

"Look at me." he ordered and Arthur refused, staring intently at Ector's chest and ignoring the rest. "Arthur." The command was one he remembered from a child. When he'd refused to do something or got into trouble, Ector said his name with a certain persuasive tone and Arthur was forced to do what he was told.

He looked up and stared at Ector. "Please, just take it?"

"I don't want you giving me your gold. And if your father was to ask you what happened to your allowance?"

"It's not my allowance." he insisted.

The elder man grew concerned. "Where did you get this from then?"

Arthur swallowed. "It's… It's from a wager." When Ectors' eyes turned from concerned to disappointed Arthur said, "Gaius has already torn my head off and Merlin and I decided that instead of keep the money we'd share with everyone it and he sent a hundred gold coins to his mother and I'm trying to make things right with you. But I made him take the rest of the coins anyway." He blurted out in a tangent.

It didn't quite make sense but Ector didn't mind. He rested his hand on Arthur's shoulder and pressed the coins back into his hand. "There's nothing to make right with me, boy. You and I are right, do you understand me?"

"No." Arthur pushed the coins back. "We're right yes, but what my father did, isn't."

"It's not your job to take on your father's sins, Arthur." Ector said carefully.

"What did you do?" Arthur demanded. "What did you do that made my father hate you? Because he only ever trusted you to take care of me until he didn't and you were dishonoured and I could never see you again. You or Kay and… And I don't know what I did wrong." There was a slight crack in his voice but he refused to cry. He had cried too much as a child over this and he wasn't about to let it start again.

Taking Arthur's shoulders with either hand Ector leant forward and pressed his forehead against Arthur's and brought his hand up to cup his neck. "Listen to me, Arthur. It wasn't your fault. Your father and I had a fight. A big one about the way he was running the kingdom. I was no longer Court Advisor and I was out of line. It is my fault I lost my knighthood and I take the burden. You don't have to lift it for me. Do you understand?"

He didn't. But he tried.

So Arthur just nodded and stepped away from him. "Just… keep the money?" he asked.

Ector sighed and nodded, resting the bag on the table. "Arthur you can come to me anytime, you know that?"

"I don't want to get you into trouble." he said.

"Let me deal with your father. Trust me. I have known him many more years than I care to remember." Ector smiled and Arthur felt like he was a child again.

But the moment didn't last.

There was a bang from outside as a door shuddered and both men turned to stare but nothing came of it. It was just a reminder however on how much trouble they could both get in for disobeying Uther. "I should leave."

"Alright, Arthur." Ector patted his back. "Take care and visit if you can."

Arthur nodded in promise and then pulled his cloak over his head before heading up the road. As he reached the edge of the castle however, Arthur saw a man, much older than him, approaching. His hand went to his sword, but in his haste, he had forgotten to pack it.

In a recess close by he saw two more figures huddled away and he was about to shout for a guard when the hood of the man in front of him fell off. "Rowan?" he said in surprise.

The older man's face split open into a large grin, his deep brown eyes shining with glee and scruffy blonde hair falling over them. Rowan was Gaius's old apprentice, the man who had left in order to spend time with his family as his mother had died. But that had been over two years ago. A letter had come to tell them he was needed in his village and he would come when he could, but he never came. "Your highness. What are you doing out here so late?"

Arthur noticed the deep bruise over the ex-physician's apprentice's eye and ignored the question. "What happened to _you_?"

"Eh," Rowan shrugged. "Just a bruise. We road through the night. I uh, seek council with your father." Arthur flinched. It was no secret that out of all the people in Camelot, Uther had disliked Rowan the most and the feeling was somewhat mutual. There wasn't a individual reason why, but the apprentice and the king had always been particularly cold to each other.

Arthur looked warily over to the other figures and Rowan turned his head and whistled by pressing his fingers to his lips. From the shadows the two figures emerged, one man who looked much like Rowan and another young woman who was beaten black and blue and hanging off the boy. "So maybe it's more than a bruise." he commented lightly as Arthur gaped. "We need to warn your father. There is danger lurking on the edges of Camelot."

* * *

**A/N: **Remember that list on chapter fifteen? I'm going to reveal all the ones thus far, the ones not particularly important to my story right now and the obvious ones I'm rolling my eyes at and the original characters...

**The baby – **?

**The young plain girl – **? OC

**Her betrothed - **?

**Her brother – **? OC

**The young child – **?

**And his father – **? Sort of OC... He's mentioned in the show but never named or talked about much...

**The long Dead King – **The Fisher King

**The Druid Girl – **Freya

**A knight – **Sir Kay

**And his father – **Sir Ector

**The serving girl – **? OC

**The mistress – **? OC

**The knight - **?

**A man across time and space - **? - but obvious.

**Another man - **Rowan

**His father – **?

**His brother – **? (named next chapter)

**A sonless king - **Odin

**The dead – **Dorocha

**The changelings – **Princess Elena

**A troll – **Lady Katerina

**A Goblin – **The Goblin - Mentioned so far but not important... I just liked that episode

**One old man –** Balinor

**And the woman –** Hunith

Myth. won the competition so you can pick something for me to write about, as long as it includes no major character deaths. Just review or inbox me or something and I'll slot it in soon!


	26. A Curse Upon Your Motherland

**A/N: **Oh wow. I'm sorry for the long wait... (long for me) I was caught up with my Uncle's wedding which actually took me three days to recover from, plus I'm doing swing shifts, 6am-6pm at work. My feet actually still hurt from dancing at the wedding and I can't speak my voice is so hoarse and summer is not being nice to me. I'm actually lying in bed trying to sleep when I thought, I'm going to be working 12hr shifts tomorrow, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and won't be able to upload until Monday at the latest so, I had this chapter written but hadn't put the Old English in it or edited it so it's 1:30 in the morning and I'm doing it now. I would love to reply to all your reviews tonight but for the first time, I'm so sleepy I can't. Plus, I start work in five and a half hours... BUT, if I can lift my head during my lunch break, I'll reupload this chap with review replies and you guys can read them on Monday when I upload chap27... I will definitely reply.

* * *

**A Curse Upon Your Motherland**

_Three nights earlier…_

Nimueh was standing by her scrying bowl, underneath the Isle of the Blessed. The chambers in which she sat in were ones where men and women of the Old Religion had gathered for functions and banquets.

Many had forgotten that the Isle had been a refuge for all magic users, a home and their kingdom. Instead of King's, they had Priests and Priestesses, man and woman equal amongst them. Instead of servants to nobility, they had servants to the Gods. Rank existed but none were treated as lesser, one simply had to respect and follow the words of the Elders.

Magic was ageist and based on talent. Nimueh was highly regarded in her time, despite her youth but her power and magic came at a cost.

Nimueh had to give up on all thoughts of love and companionship and she had to give up her true love. Her Ector.

"Nimueh?" Morgause came out of her hiding spot amongst the shadows and glided over to her mentors side. "Are you sure this is going to work?"

"There isn't anyone powerful enough to stop us… yet." she added absently, a small frown on her face as she thought of Emrys.

"Yet?"

"Do not worry. He his nothing but a child." A harsh cry made both the women turn and the small child, Morgause's son had fallen over.

"Take care of him." Nimueh said, turning back to her scrying bowl. Morgause nodded and turned to watch over her son. It took so long for Nimueh to gather everything she needed, but finally she had the last piece of the puzzle to make Uther suffer.

It was Sidhe staff, a magical object that increased powers exponentially. Nimueh waved it over the scrying bowl and pulled back to see her spell at work. The image in the bowl changed to the ground near the edge of Camelot's borders.

It was a large hill, or so it seemed, but straight down the middle was a sharp unnatural decline that looked as though the world had once been cracked open straight down the middle. Local's named the hill The Sleeping Crevice so long ago that no one knew why anymore. It had taken Nimueh sometime to find the hill and now that she had she had only needed the Sidhe magic to open the crack in the earth one more time.

She turned her head to Morgause. "I will return."

"But–"

"Stay here and keep hidden." Nimueh commanded Morgause over her shoulder, then, with a quick spell, found herself standing on top of the hill she had just been looking over.

She waved her the staff over the earth, just to make sure she was standing on the correct hallowed ground then started chanting. "Tobregdan slæpléas démones. Níedhæs áne mé and áræme fram þín carcernþéostru." The world below her fractured in the crevice, the earth splitting apart with a thundering crack that could be heard for miles. It woke the nearby village from their slumber and they all startled fearfully as a thin black smoke roiled out from below.

Nimueh watched as hands of only skin and bone curled over the dirt and started tearing at roots. She refused to bow to down assist, fearful of the power the ancient earth demon possessed, but not enough to summon it.

As the body ripped itself out of the ground, its gaunt face appeared somehow human, yet not quite so. It was riddled with age and time, but young. It's eyes were white blind but all seeing. It's body broad and powerful yet frail and meagre. The demon could not be cut down by the strongest of men but was staggered under the light winds.

Nimueh watched carefully as restlessness quivered around him, in the trees and even in the blades of grass around his feet. "You summoned me, Nimueh." he hissed and crackled, broken and rotted teeth showing as he twisted his head to a sharp angle. "What do you wish?"

"For you to give me the Breaker of Dreams." she said easily. "So I can have all of Camelot at my mercy."

He twisted his head to the side, staring blankly and intently miraculously at the same time. "To create such a powerful spell, you must bind it to a living host and all living hosts are mortal and can fall."

"Not the one I have in mind." Nimueh's lip twisted up into a grim smile. "I simply need the sigil, Morpheus. You are in my debt, remember this."

He nodded and held out his hand in front of him, digging his fingers into his own rigid palms. The air shivered and erupted in delight, expanding from underneath his fingernails and spreading out into dark shadows that whipped around and burnt a to an ink black scrawl mid air. "It will take three nights to spread over the entirety of Camelot. In a fortnight, it will encompass all of Albion. Only you can break the spell and control whom it effects. But beware. People shall be driven to madness and death."

Nimueh smirked and entrapped the sigil onto her palm, ready to summon the host for her plans and brand him with the curse. "That's kind of the point."

The demon rolled out his shoulders and stood up tall. "If we are done?" And without waiting for further instruction, he disappeared in a whirl of dust and dirt, sweeping off on the winds and into the distance.

She turned her head to the north and smirked. "Now to wake the sleeping giant."

* * *

Rowan sat in Gaius's chambers, surrounded by Arthur, Uther, Merlin, two members of the Council Arthur couldn't quite remember the names of and Sir Walden, the strong and silent knight who had stood by Uther since before he was King.

Emmet, Rowan's younger brother, was laying asleep on one cot and the girl, Renata, was in Merlin's room. "It came from no where." Rowan said, staring stonily at the ground. "This… plague. It seeped into the earth. We could see it ripple through the grass and we thought it was strange but had no idea what to do. But then, the night came and not one of us could fall asleep."

Gaius leant forward, wrapping the bandage around Rowan's bleeding arm tighter. "The entire village was awake?"

Rowan nodded slowly. "I tried making potions to cause sleep, tried remedies but… nothing. Eventually it was dawn and everyone was tired but work had to be done.

"I tried all day to find a cure, but nothing. Emmet and I planned to ride out straight away but then…" He closed his eyes tight, pain evident on his features. "Mortgah came."

Everyone in the room flinched but Merlin and he shot Arthur a confused look but he was staring intently at Rowan. "We have no idea what we did. We've never given him any reason to detest us before but he came and he ransacked our village. Destroyed us. My father sent us to fetch help from the king and we found Renata bloody and beaten and couldn't just leave her. I'm the town physician. Emmet is my apprentice. The three of us rode through the night until we got to Camelot and along the way, we saw the ripple in the grass. As soon as we passed it, Renata fell asleep and only Emmet and I have managed to just keep awake."

The man did look exhausted, eyes bruised and face sunken. "I'm afraid no one in our village will be able to sleep still and with everyone so exhausted, Mortgah will slaughter them all."

Gaius bowed his head slightly as Uther gained a thoughtful face. "This… ripple. You believe it is coming towards Camelot?"

"Most definitely. Camelot is far north from my village. It started in the south and has been moving towards your city ever since."

Uther looked to Gaius. "What do you believe this is? And what does Mortgah have to do with this all?"

Walden stepped forward. "If I may, sire. Mortgah is supposed to live in the mountains towards the north. For him to specifically go after their village…"

"We have no history with the giant." Rowan snapped quickly and Merlin's ears pulled back. He tried to catch Arthur's eye after he heard the word, 'giant' but the prince was looking anywhere but him it seemed. "He came from nowhere to kill us for no reason, bearing a brand of some sort."

"A brand?" Gaius interrupted quickly, more than likely to distract Uther from Rowan's disrespect. "What sort of brand?"

"I could draw it, if you wish, Physician Gaius." he said more respectfully, and Uther's face pinched. _That's why he doesn't like Rowan… he shows more respect to Gaius than Uther,_ Merlin thought.

"That would be most helpful, Rowan." Gaius smiled and looked to Merlin pointedly. He quickly got up and fetched a parchment and a stick of charcoal. Rowan looked appreciative as the new apprentice handed the equipment over to the old one and the two caught each other's eyes and smiled.

"In the meantime, Arthur, Walden, get together a small group of knights head to the south and investigate." Uther nodded to his son and the knight and the council members nodded in agreement. "You are to leave at dawn."

"Yes sire." both replied and everyone bowed except Rowan as the king left. The council members and Walden left soon after, leaving only Arthur.

He moved behind Merlin and briefly looked at what Rowan was drawing. "Merlin, have my horses ready and bag prepared by morning." Merlin nodded as he sat back beside Rowan, watching as he started to draw. Arthur sighed heavily, "_Now_ Merlin."

He looked up then nodded. "Alright, alright. Not like I've got a bed to sleep in anyway." He added the last part glaring at Arthur to make him feel bad for not letting him sleep.

Arthur made a face then said, "You can attend to me after you've finished packing the bags." he growled and Merlin just rolled his eyes. It was the dead of the night and both were quite tired as it was and they both had a tendency to snap at each other when they lacked sleep.

Arthur left shortly after his commands and Merlin started packing for the trip, starting with the medical things, as they were the closest. Then he packed bedrolls and water skins and finally kept a spare bag for the food he'd collect in the morning from the kitchens. He'd have to wake up early for the horses, but as it was passed midnight, he knew he should go to Arthur first.

"I'll be back, Gaius." Merlin called out. The physician just waved him off, too busy watching what Rowan sketched.

He stared for a moment, then made his way across the dark castle to Arthur's chambers. When he opened the door, Arthur was already asleep on his chair, his head nodded off to one side and his mouth hanging open. Merlin frowned and sighed, walking over to Arthur and shaking him lightly. "Come on Arthur. You've got to get into bed before you sleep."

Arthur grumbled slightly then looked up at Merlin. "If you don't have anywhere to sleep, you can stay here." he mumbled as he stood.

Merlin realised exactly why Arthur had asked him to attend him and smiled. He hadn't slept there in months and Merlin had actually started to forget about the times he and Arthur had stayed up all night chatting away about nothing in the room. "Really?"

"Mmhmm." Arthur muttered before crashing face first into his pillows. Merlin snorted and rolled his eyes. He yanked Arthur's boots off then rolled him over until he was in bed properly. The prince had his eyes closed but wasn't completely asleep.

"Arthur…" Merlin hesitated then went on. "Arthur is Mortgah really a… a giant?"

After a moment, Arthur opened his eyes and stared at him. "Don't worry. You're not coming tomorrow."

Merlin looked surprised. "What?"

Arthur let out a long breath then sat up on his elbows. "Giants are dangerous. More dangerous than you could imagine. They _eat_ humans and their skins are impervious to most weapons. I can't risk having you there. You'd get yourself eaten and then I'd have to explain to Gaius why I brought you home in a bread roll."

Merlin shivered at the thought of being eaten and then shook his head. "But, I can help."

"Since when have you helped in battle?"

"I'm a physicians apprentice. If someone gets hurt, I can help heal them."

The prince's face changed and Merlin knew he was considering it. Then after a moment, he shook his head. "It's too dangerous."

"Arthur…"

"Go to sleep, Merlin." Arthur commanded, dragging the covers over him. "Or I'll make you muck out my stables, now, in the dead of the night."

"You're not that cruel." Merlin argued.

"They're particularly dirty." Arthur lied, opening his eyes again. Now he looked serious and his eyes held a deep fear behind them. "Too many people would kill me if you got hurt. I can't have that guillotine hanging over my head. It's too much of a distraction, having to worry about how Gaius will poison me should anything befall you or how Gwen would probably guilt me by walking around looking like she got kicked. Worse still is that I can hardly imagine the punishment Morgana would concoct. Much to worrisome to even think of it."

Deciding to drop the argument for now, Merlin kicked off his own shoes and fell onto the other side of the bed. "Fine. I need sleep for now, anyway." Merlin muttered, curling up on the bed and wrapping his arms under the pillow.

Arthur watched him for a moment then yawned and turned over, closing his eyes and falling into the land of dreams seconds later.

* * *

Gaius watched as Rowan sketched and the longer the younger man's thin hands moved across the page, the more dread Gaius felt. Once he was finished, the old man paled and stared at the symbol, not quite believing. "What is it?" Rowan asked, a small frown on his face.

"You've had a long night." Gaius patted his back. "You should sleep, my boy."

Rowan smiled at the familiar gesture. "I've missed you Gaius. I've missed all of Camelot."

Gaius sighed, "Camelot has missed you too."

"Uther hasn't."

"You haven't missed Uther." he countered.

Rowan chuckled. "That is true." The laughter died on his lips after a moment then he tapped the drawing. "This is bad, isn't it?"

The sigil that Rowan had drawn was far too familiar for Gaius's liking. He had seen versions of it before in old books, though he wasn't certain. He fingered the sigil and sighed. "I'm not sure. Is this exactly what you saw?"

Rowan nodded. "You know me, Gaius. I have a perfect memory."

Gaius couldn't disagree. Rowan was able to read a book and recite it word for word years later, seeing the pages clearly in his head. "Come." Gaius beckoned him and the two went over to the books on the walls. Rowan watched as Gaius pointed to a few and Rowan climbed up a few stools to retrieve them, handing them down to Gaius. He pointed at the X with bulbs on the end in Rowan's image. "That is the symbol of the sleep goddess, Ibormeith." he compared the two and then showed the next symbol within Rowan's drawings. It was a circle that encompassed have the cross and had its own line through it. "This is the symbol that bars magic. The last mark is this one." He showed the final design, a thunderbolt looking design with two bulbs on either end of it. "That is the design of the demon Morpheus, the enemy of Ibormeith. It makes the spell cast more powerful.

"He is the only one able to stop dreams, or so the legend goes."

"So these symbols combined are the reason why we couldn't sleep." Rowan established. "They're a curse bound to the Giant."

"Yes." Gaius said, his expression clearly worried. "To remove the curse…"

"We'd have to kill the giant." Rowan muttered and looked back down at the design.

Gaius tapped the page nervously then looked up at Rowan with a smile. "You need rest. I will check on your brother."

Rowan nodded and went over to where he knew the bedrolls were and set himself out by the fire, falling asleep far too quickly for Gaius's liking, though he was grateful of it all the same.

Because it was only two hours later, whilst Gaius was searching and praying that the mark belonged to someone else, that he felt a disturbance in the ground beneath him. As he did, all three of his patients woke up and Rowan flung his covers from his body and crossed to the window. "There!" he pointed accusingly and when Gaius reached him he saw the thin black ripple that he had spoken about, ripple straight to the North. "By dawn, it will have the rest of Camelot under its spell." Rowan whispered and as the darkness passed beneath them, the citadel woke up.

* * *

**A/N: **Short, I know... but just, trust me :)

_Translation:_

Wake Sleepless demon. Obey only me and rise from your prison.

P.S. Who else is absolutely devastated this is the final season of Merlin? Who is also devastated that we only got four weeks notice? I am so upset and I seriously blame all those people who said this season was crap. They always said that Series 6 was going to depend on whether or not people responded well to series 5. I personally liked it. I feel as though I've grown up with the show, 14 and enjoying the light heartedness when series 1 came out and now 19 and understanding the more adult content. The Dark Tower and the Deathsong of Uther Pendragon were my favourite eps. It's the first show, I've found, where the characters have grown up in a believable manner... they're still themselves, but they've become something more...

I don't know... I love Merlin. I've been obsessed by Arthurian legends since I was a kid and my dad used to read them to me as bedtime stories... I'm just upset about the whole thing... And now it's 2am... I fell asleep twice in the last 30 mins trying to go over this, so excuse the mistakes. I'm literally writing in my sleep.

Good night everyone. And happy thanksgiving to my American reviewers for last week! And let me wake up to some reviews please and thanks (positive or negative, I swing either way)? Secretly in love with you all,

ithoughtslashmeanthorror


	27. Sleepless

**A/N: **Let's get right into things, shall we? **Natalie Thropp, **Thank you. I hope you continue enjoying! **mrlnfan, **I really need to update Letters... But just because it goes along in the normal timeline too, she was kicked out of Camelot before Merlin was born meaning, she had no communication with anyone... **TN Sarah, **Thank you and Giant shall be dealt... soon. :) **Mediatrix, **if they did a spin-off, I'd be so devastated if it didn't have Bradley and Colin and pretty much all the rest in it. I'm just confused as to how they're going to heap Mordred's betrayal, Merlin's reveal, Arthur's death and the uniting of all of Albion and return of magic in four eps... **bubzchoc & IndiaMoore, **thanks! **jayley, **Actually, Arthur killed a few giants in the original legend... that's sort of what I'm basing this off...** (FROM LAST CHAPTER) gorgeousangel,** Thanks! and yes, it does have to do with magic... that is my only hint. I feel sorry for the people of the lower town... so far they've only been depicted as owning one street... :) **A maze thing, **Hehehe, I secretly love Gaius. I sometimes think he just gets away with things because he's old... And Arnold shall return! (But has nothing to do with Ector... not yet) Prof X, most definitely... and I think he shaves his hair as a fashion statement... no one has ever actually determined that in Marvel, but I think you're safe. **TN Sarah & Crystal Bud, **Thanks!** jayley, **Really? I sort of enjoyed the Gaius riot act... I think, Arthur killing the Druids was something his father ordered him to do and he didn't want to do it so Gaius wasn't angry at him, but more sympathetic for what he'd been forced to do. When Gaius got angry it was because he was proud in thinking that Merlin and Arthur got over their adversary for 'the greater good' when really, it can be kind of seen as them doing it for the money _if_ someone looked at it that way. **mrlnfan, **thanks and well, you've got here another new chap. **Solar07 **'A man across Time and Space - Dr Who'... I would love to say yes but it's not. I actually am in love with your answer though and am horrified I never thought of it... In fact, free chapter for you. :) PM me an idea and I'll put it in here. :) **Guest & India Moore & bubzchoc **thank you! **DistressedClover, **originally, I hadn't thought of it either. The chapter where Gaius found out what Merlin and Arthur had been doing was supposed to be more humorous but then, as I wrote it, Gaius got angry and then I sort of liked it better, because it gave more weight to Arthur going and finding Ector, like he saw the error of his ways likened to his fathers which, is an idea Arthur constantly battles with. Maybe I'm making this out to be a lot deeper than it is... They're friendship means more than that. That was the message. :)

* * *

**Sleepless**

The horses were prepared, the bags packed and Arthur's head throbbed dully. He had barely gotten any sleep the night before and now he needed to ride out. Gaius informed Uther that he believed he saw the black ripple pass underneath Camelot and now, they were trying desperately to find if anyone could sleep.

Already, Arthur could hear sleepless children crying for rest and the animals pawing the ground anxiously. _What sort of magic is this?_ Arthur didn't want to find out. He just wanted to end it.

When he'd woke with a sudden surge, Merlin was waking too, sitting up and panting. "Nightmare?" he asked curiously. It had been a long while since either of them had been afflicted by night terrors and he was curious as to whether his young manservant still suffered.

But he quickly shook his head and looked to the window. He darted up and went to the window and Arthur scurried and quickly followed. They both looked out the glass and saw under the lightning sky, a black ripple shudder across the earth. "Do you think that was what Rowan was talking about?" Merlin asked quietly.

Arthur nodded and kept the horror from his face hidden under a mask of calm.

Then Merlin said he'd get the horses ready and then he'd be in the library. Before Arthur could ask him why he was going to the library, Merlin was gone and he'd been left to find his own breakfast.

Since then, he hadn't seen or heard from Merlin. He mounted his horse and was waiting for his men to prepare. It was so different from his first patrol. Then he had no idea what he was doing, despite it being a little over a year ago. Now he was a knight and knew how to command his men and could anticipate their advice. He smirked and saw Leon mount his horse beside Pellinore and both look at him with tired smiles of reassurance.

Even a year later, they did that, just to calm him and also because he was the youngest.

In his party were Sir Garreth, Sir Reece and Sir Samuel, three milder knights who had seen a few years in battle, Sir Wallace, Sir Henry and Sir Ramone, fairly young new recruits and also the seasoned knights, Sir Walden, Sir Bedivere and Sir Arnold, all of whom had served since before Arthur's birth.

Then there was Sir Kay. He came because he was apart of Sir Arnold's patrol and was his personal second in command. The two of them didn't look each other in the eye much, nor did they communicate, other than Arthur's orders. But at one point, when the two accidentally spotted each other over the sea of Camelot red, Arthur could have sworn he saw a grateful look thrown his way.

"So when do we head out?" Arthur's head snapped to the side and he saw Merlin on the back of a horse, leaning lazily on its neck with a lopsided smile.

"_Mer_lin. Did you not hear me when I said _you're not coming_?"

Merlin shook his head. "Must have been asleep."

"Get inside, now." Arthur commanded.

"I feel like going for a ride." Merlin shrugged lazily.

"Giants are not to be trifled with."

"Which is why you shouldn't go by yourself. Anyway, you're fatter than me. He'll eat you first, giving me enough time to escape." Merlin clapped his hands together and rubbed his hands. "Now. Let's go, shall we?" Merlin clicked his heels to his steed and urged him forwards.

"Honestly! I'm not-" Arthur stopped himself shouting out after Merlin when he noted all the knights were staring at him. He grunted then turned his head to his men. "Onwards." He called out then urged his own horse to reach Merlin, riding up beside him. They rode out of Camelot and started into the Darkling forest when Arthur finally decided to tell Merlin off. "You're an idiot, you know that."

"I recollect you telling me this once or twice." Merlin smiled.

"You need to listen to everything I say and actually follow my instructions." he ordered. "And that means when I tell you to run, you run."

Merlin shrugged, "Never been one to follow orders."

"_Mer_lin. This isn't just another bandit or some enemy within Camelot's walls. This is a Giant. They kill humans and beat them for leisure. You've never trained for this."

"I've read about giants. I know that they're a lot smarter and more cunning than they're given credit for and there's only a specific sword that can kill giants. It's called an _Eoten_ _Cwelland_, isn't it?"

Arthur was a little surprise but realised he shouldn't have been. Merlin read. A lot. "Yes, but it's a sword of magic. All magical swords were destroyed during the purge." he said quietly, wishing his father had kept one sword at least. But from what he knew, they required great magic to wield them.

"Have _you_ ever seen a giant?" Merlin asked smartly.

Arthur frowned, "No. Have you?"

"No. But here is my point." From his bag he withdrew books and other things. "I have knowledge about giants. Knowledge you probably don't." And Arthur could tell he was right. Some of the books were written in Latin and Arthur couldn't read the language of the Roman's very well. They'd tried to teach him as a child but he didn't understand why he needed to know a second language. "You know things about this Mortgah that I don't know. On our travels, we compile the information and we might be able to figure out a weakness without resorting to the _Eoten Cwelland_."

Arthur thought about it for a moment then nodded. "Alright then. But like I said. When I shout run-"

"I'll bolt for the hills, waving my hands in distress above my head."

The prince rolled his eyes. "Mortgah is a giant from the north. He usually stays in his own caves. Actually, he's bond to the caves. It happened a long time before the Great Purge and he was trapped there by magic."

"So some freed him."

"Yes." Arthur sighed and shook his head in distress. "He's the last giant left in Camelot, though. Why he doesn't just go and move to live with his brethren up in Tir-Mor is beyond me. I don't know why he has to attack us first."

"Does he eat humans?"

"They all eat humans." Arthur reached down to his boot and dug out the dagger that he normally kept there, strapped to his ankle. He tugged off the strap too and handed it to Merlin. "Here. Take this."

Merlin took the dagger then said, "But I have my own."

Arthur snorted. "Have you even sharpened that thing? Anyway, family heirlooms shouldn't be used in battle in case you lose them, Merlin. If you have to escape, throw that at the Giant's eye and run."

"And if I miss?"

"Don't miss." Arthur said simply.

Merlin nodded and adjusted himself so he wouldn't fall off his horse and attached the strap and the dagger to his own ankle. "Thank you." He said and pulled out one of his books, resting it on his horses neck and read. Arthur stared at him incredulously. "What?" Merlin asked eventually, feeling Arthur's gaze on him.

"You're reading on the back of a horse."

"It's not like we have the luxuries of time."

"You're so _strange_, Merlin."

* * *

It took them the greater part of the day to reach close to their destination, and the knights and Arthur decided to rest for the night and continue the journey in the morning.

Long after Merlin and Sir Pellinore made dinner – the manservant unsure of how to cook for such numbers – they found their first problem.

Still wary of Sir Arnold, Arthur made Merlin set up his bedrolls between Pellinore and Leon for the night. "I'll take first watch." Sir Reece offered and no one objected. They were all wearier than they should have been. Arthur had seen Merlin's eyes strain as he stared at his book.

Arthur was lying beside the fire, trying to keep warm and sleep and he saw Merlin a body away, curled up with his arms cradling the pages and reading under the firelight. "Just sleep, Merlin."

"I can't." Merlin admitted, sitting up on his hands. He looked around the camp. "I don't think anyone can."

Arthur looked around and yawned, his eyes watering and in need of some rest. Not one of his men were asleep. A few were feigning rest but he could see them twitching with wake. Arthur looked at Merlin once more. "This is the spell Rowan spoke of."

"If they can't sleep…" Merlin started but Arthur put his hand up in dismissal.

"We'll be fine. Lay down, close your eyes. You can mimic sleep by emptying your mind, though that shouldn't be too hard for you."

Merlin nodded slowly, not even replying to the joke. He laid his head on his bedroll, closing his book and his eyes as Arthur did the same. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't sleep and felt each agonising minute of the night pass.

Everyone let out a thankful sigh as dawn broke overhead and they sat up and wearily had breakfast. "Arthur?" Merlin said quietly so no one could hear. "I don't think we'll last like this."

"You won't. We will. We're knights." Arthur reminded Merlin.

He nodded and yawned, too exhausted to argue. He stumbled a little as he walked to his mount and he had to pause and force himself to stand properly again.

The horses were exhausted, unable to sleep either, but rode half the morning before one of them collapsed. It was Sir Arnold's horse and Arthur actually took some hysterical sleepless glee from that, but made sure to keep it off his face. "We may need to stop riding the horses." Arthur said, looking over to Sir Frenwyn who had, until Arthur's induction into the knights, been his superior.

The older knight nodded quietly and Arthur felt reassured. He dismounted his horse and stroked the beast's sweaty mane. "We're only a few hours away." he tried to keep spirits up, but everyone looked too tired to pay heed.

Closer to the their destination, Arthur saw one of his men fall.

It was Sir Garreth, eyes rolling into the back of his head and arms splayed out around him. He rushed over to see while Sir Walden started to tend to him. But nothing was wrong.

He was conscious, in pain and unable to move. "I can't…" he gasped, trying to move his arms. "It's like stone." Even his mouth gaped as he spoke. The words were barely making it passed his lips.

Merlin pulled out a potion from his bag and handed it to Walden. "It's a sleeping draught. See if it works."

Walden nodded and then poured it down Garreth's gullet. They all waited with bated breath but after five whole minutes, Garreth didn't even bat an eye. "Do you have anything stronger?" Walden asked quietly.

Merlin shook his head. "That's the strongest sleeping potion there is before deaths."

They all wore matching grim expressions. Arthur stepped forward, "Garreth, did you rest the night before last?" he asked.

Garreth winced and shook his head. "No sire. I am sorry. I did not sleep that night either, though that was by choice."

Arthur looked around the camp. "Who else didn't sleep the night before?" No one shifted. "I will admit to only getting a few hours of sleep. We need to know so we can prepare."

After a moment, Kay raised his hand. Arthur flinched then looked at him. "I slept closer to the morning but then was jolted awake and could not sleep again. Then I was told of the patrol."

"Alright. Merlin, Kay and Garreth stay here. The rest of us will move on ahead."

"Wait. Why me?" Merlin asked, standing up.

"Because you know how to take care of them." Arthur said sternly and took a quiver of arrows and bow from his weapon collection on his horse and handed them to him. "I said to follow my directions, Merlin."

Leon landed a hand on Merlin's shoulder and gave a tight squeeze. "Trust me. Do as he says." he whispered quietly. Without another option, Merlin took the arrow and quivers and strapped them over his back. He realised Kay and Garreth both had swords and Arthur wanted him to only fight at a distance. He'd practiced archery more under the watchful eyes of Leon and Elyan and was fairly good at it, though nowhere near as good as he was with a crossbow or daggers, but it was all they had and Merlin just nodded.

Arthur could see it annoyed his manservant to agree, but him and Kay pulled Garreth up until he was propped up against a tree as the other knights started to stand and leave. Before they could go though, Merlin rushed over to Arthur and his legs wobbled once he got there.

"Listen." he said quietly so no one else could hear. "There is a way to render a Giant immobile. It isn't the easiest of things but-"

"Spit it out, Merlin." Arthur snapped, impatiently. Though, for the life of him, he couldn't spot why he was annoyed.

Merlin grabbed Arthur's arm and spun him around. "You need to hit these three spots." With one finger he pressed hard against the nape of Arthur's neck then pressed the other the dead centre of the small of his back. He then pulled them together until they met right in the middle, somewhere in the middle of his shoulder blades. "You need to work together. It won't hold him down for long, an hour at the most, but maybe that will be enough for you to figure things out."

Arthur turned around and glared at Merlin. "And you had to demonstrate by touching my back why?"

"They're very specific places." Merlin snapped, too tired to explain. "You can't be a centimetre off or you'll just annoy the damn thing." He spun Arthur around again and repeated the actions. "Remember, one, two and three."

A calmer part of Arthur's mind understood. If he could feel it on himself he'd know where to hit the giant. It was the same way Frenwyn had taught him what pressure points to hit on a man during a fight. "Okay." he nodded then turned to everyone else who was, unsurprisingly, watching their interaction. "Merlin thinks he knows how to immobilise the giant. Everyone turn around and let Merlin touch your backs." They all wore matching frowns of confusion and Arthur rolled his eyes. "He's going to show you where to hit the giant."

Merlin repeated the actions for the nine other knights, but not for Arnold who refused to be touched by a servant. Arthur almost wanted to kill him for that, but wondered how much of it was tiredness. "I know how to kill a giant, boy." Arnold snapped. "I've been dealing with Giants since your mother was a babe."

Before Merlin could snap, Arthur spoke. "Alright." he nodded to everyone. "Let's move. Kay, Garreth, Merlin stay here and protect one another."

Merlin nodded and collapsed back against a tree awkwardly with the arrows in the way, his eyes trying to shut but being forced to stay awake. Arthur could only hope he was making the right decision by leaving him behind, a small nagging part of his brain telling him he shouldn't.

* * *

It had been a few hours since the party had left to go fight the giant and Merlin was hunched over a tree, trying to sleep with all his might. Sir Garreth was staring off into the distance and Kay was sitting on a log, hands pressed into his eyes.

Eventually Garreth groaned, "This is hopeless."

Merlin looked up briefly while Kay locked his eyes on the man. "I can't move." he groaned and soon his body shook with sobs. "I can't move." Even as Garreth spoke, his hands shuddered and his body quaked but Merlin understood. Garreth couldn't willingly move his own body that decided to shut down, rather than deal with no sleep.

"Garreth, pull yourself together." Kay snapped. "You're a knight."

Merlin turned his heavy head to Kay. "He can't control it. It's an effect of lack of sleep. Just like you're snapping and Arthur's irritated, he's gone into hysteria."

Kay watched Garreth sobbing, begging for sleep then at Merlin. "Are you sure?" he asked over the howls.

"Yes." Merlin took a deep breath and said, "Small children do it all the time. When they grow tired, they throw tantrums but as we grow older we learn that is obscene but, forced into it, we all react like children."

Garreth kept sobbing and Merlin closed his eyes briefly, hoping that the knight would exhaust himself into sleep. But he couldn't because sleep wasn't ever going to come.

Merlin opened his eyes and looked around where they sat. He couldn't find anything to help the situation. Only grass and trees laid around, barely anything with herbs or medicinal properties. He reached for his pack and pulled out a small brown bean Gaius had told him would give a burst of energy, though he had only three and entrusted them to Merlin's care to use in emergencies.

_I should have given on to Arthur…_ he thought grimly. When he looked up again to the camp, he saw Kay had moved. He frowned and turned his head to look for Garreth and realised, the man had stopped sobbing. His head was resting on Kay's knee and he was only whimpering, Kay carding his hair to calm him.

Merlin frowned. "What are you…"

"I couldn't stand the sounds of him crying." Kay explained. "It calmed him down." Merlin only nodded and rested his head back on the tree, but only now stared at Kay.

There was something familiar about him and Merlin couldn't quite put his finger on it. He had thick brown hair that curled around his ears and a gruff shadow of a beard that almost reached under his bright green eyes.

_Where have I seen him before? _Merlin cleared his throat slightly to unstick it then asked, "Have you ever been to Ealdor?"

Kay looked surprised by his question but shook his head. "No, I haven't. My father has."

Merlin raised his eyebrow. "Your father? Sir Ector?" he asked, remembering the name from what Morgana had told him.

"Yes. Years ago. I think I was eight." Kay stopped stroking Garreth's hair when his breathing evened out. He was now staring blankly ahead and nothing could rouse him. Kay clicked a few times in front of his face then shrugged. "Nothing."

"I would have just been born." Merlin thought aloud to no one in particular, a frown on his face. "I wouldn't be able to remember him."

"Probably not." Kay said, shifting from underneath Garreth. "Will he be alright?"

Merlin nodded. "We need to learn what this spell is and break it."

Kay tutted his tongue. "Not a spell. A demon."

"What?"

Kay ignored the curious stare Merlin was shooting his way and said, "Have you never heard of the God of Sleep? He is the one that dusts our eyes with sand and leads us into Dreams and Nightmares." Kay turned his head to see Merlin shaking his. He spoke of Dream like it was a different land and Merlin wondered if maybe it was. "Well he is the only one who can control sleep like this. Or so I've heard. Some say he became corrupt with power and turned into a demon, only to bound by the other Gods so he wouldn't turn people mad with a lack of a sleep."

"That is a tale from the Eastern Religions and the old Roman ones." Merlin surmised.

"Yes, but there is also a tale that he later became enemies with the Goddess of Sleep, Ibormeith."

"That is the Old Religion." Merlin was now speaking in a low voice. "That is a story of magic."

"Of course it is. You think this is the work of the magic-less?" Kay asked, slightly amused. "I don't know what has happened, but I'm sure it is of dark magic. Nothing else could evoke both a sleepless Camelot and a giant."

Merlin hadn't much thought about how the two were connected. They must have been. For the giant to be so far removed from his caves and for the spell to take effect at just the right time was too much of a coincidence. With everyone half-dead from a lack of sleep, they were easy pickings to a giant.

His eyes met Kay's for a moment and they flashed green and that was when Merlin recognised him.

He was the knight who had seen him and Gwen hiding in the closet as Arnold raided Mary and Gregory's house. He had seen Merlin inside the closet, locked eyes with him and then kept going. "You–" he started but there was thundering snap of twigs like they'd all been crumpled together, followed by a _thump_.

Merlin and Kay both spun around and looked over their shoulder. There was the sound of a branch breaking and yet another _thump_, followed by a tree falling and a thundering _thud_. Kay stood up and grabbed Garreth, hauling him to his feet. "What is it?" Merlin asked, but he already knew.

"Mortgah." Kay hissed and started dragging Garreth in the opposite direction, grabbing Merlin and tugging his arm. "Run!"

* * *

**A/N: **Review if you don't want the fourth finger to be hung... (to understand this reference, look on my bio... It's my picture)

**Sorry for posting this twice in the one chapter originally... I really didn't notice. :)


	28. Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum

**A/N: **Hello ladies and gents, **mrlnfan, **yes! And I'm halfway done with the next chap of Letters... Though, it's no where close to Ector visiting Hunith... lol. Thank you! I love that pic and yes, it was the eyes that got me. **bubzchoc, **thanks! **Distressed Clover, **I would hate to be Garreth and you're right... slowly, everyone is descending into such a state. **cflat, **Hahaha! You know, that sentence made sense to me until you pointed it out... lol. I'll fix it as soon as I can... I have a tendency to upload at 2am and will try to fix it when I wake up tomorrow. **TN Sarah,** thanks! Here is next. **monkeymall **and **IndiaMoore, **I upload from my mobile and must have hit paste twice! LoL... I fixed it. Thanks for your reviews.

**Disclaimer: **It was pointed out I own Kay and Ector too... they're good.

* * *

**Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum**

Arthur and the knights in his company had just reached the village Rowan claimed to come from an hour after leaving Merlin, Kay and Garreth behind. Arthur hadn't been able to shift the uneasiness and soon a dull throb between his eyes signalled a headache forming from a lack of sleep.

He could feel the tremors in his hands but ignore them and pressed on. _One night without sleep, Arthur. You can go one night without sleep._ But how many more could he press on?

The village was empty. Abandoned, save a few sheep and cows. There were homes without rooftops, fires burning from haystacks and deep grooves in the ground, the length equal to a Arthur's height. _Mortgah,_ he thought and tried to ignore the deep prints in the ground.

The Giant was gone, leaving nothing in its wake but destruction.

"There are no bodies." Frenwyn pointed out.

With a small nod, Arthur understood what it meant with a sickening feeling in his stomach. "Ramone, Henry and Reece, go to the east and search for survivors. Samuel, Wallace and Bedivere go west. Search for tracks of retreat, anything to tell us where they might be. The rest of you, with me." The men all nodded and split up.

Pellinore, Leon, Walden, Frenwyn and Arnold followed Arthur into the village. Normally, Arthur would have ordered Arnold away but, from what he knew, Arnold had previous experience with Giants. Before he was born and before Uther was King, Arnold had lived in Vertigern's Court where Giants were used as guards and slaves.

Vertigern had been the king who had killed Arthur's grandfather and ruled Camelot for close to fourteen years viciously. He'd heard little of those times, his father glancing over them and simply explaining how he and a select few knights had raised an army with Bagdemagus' help to reclaim Camelot.

But Arnold had experienced Giants first hand for most of his childhood, one of the many who only found salvation when Uther retook the throne. His heart swelled with pride at that thought. "Arthur?" he looked up and saw Pellinore pointing at the fire dying in the centre of the village.

To Arthur and the knights it looked like a small bonfire, but to a Giant, it would be a descent-sized fire to cook on. He looked around and saw bones and smelt the remnants of flesh. "Giants." he heard Arnold grunt. "Last time I saw Mortgah, he was six foot tall, a mere child." The thought of a six-foot giant being a child sent shivers down Arthur's spine.

"That was twenty years ago." Frenwyn reminded him. "We ran him back to the borders and thought he would stay."

"Did you not have a Eoten Cwelland back then?" Arthur asked the older knights. Twenty years ago was before the purge, before his father declared magic evil and now that he knew his father had a sorceress in his court…

They all shook their heads. "The Eoten Cwellands weren't eradicated in the purge. Vertigern destroyed them." Walden said, clearly realising Arthur's confusion. "In exchange for the Giants cooperation, he had all the blades broken."

Leon blinked in surprise. "I remember the Giant. I remember Mortgah."

Frenwyn smiled tightly, the man never showing real joy on his face. "You were nothing but a baby, Leon when Mortgah came to Camelot last. You couldn't remember."

"No, I do." he insisted. "My father, Sir Goloris, you three, Sir Ector and the King himself went to fight him. You chained him down with… with…" he frowned and shook his head. "I don't remember."

"You were still in your mother's arms." Walden looked at him in awe. "How do you remember such things?"

Leon shrugged. "I don't know. I just do."

Arnold growled, "I'd keep those thoughts at bay, boy. There are certain things you'd be killed to remember." He glanced at Arthur as he spoke and the prince looked away silently.

They searched through the wreckage but there were no survivors that they could see but soon Arnold found something else. "There are tracks." he called out. "They head north. They head to Camelot."

"And to Kay, Garreth and Merlin." Arthur added, panic seizing him. "The Giant… he must have snuck passed us."

"Impossible." Arnold said. "Giants do not sneak. They thunder and boom. It doesn't matter if their presence is noted or not. They don't care."

"The trees we walked through are too thick for him." Frenwyn said. "There must have been another way."

"But where we left the others, the land was sparse." Arthur insisted. "He could have them by now."

The other knights didn't disagree but before Arthur could command them to rush back to protect the others, Walden said, "Kay will protect them. He's not one to abandon them and run."

The unease didn't lift from Arthur's stomach. The other two groups of knights returned, and Sir Wallace came up to Arthur and said, "We found tracks running to the mountains. Whoever it was rushed out and went to find safety."

"And Mortgah went back to Camelot." Arnold added.

Arthur thought for a moment, noting everyone was waiting for his say-so to continue. Arnold was about to step forward and take charge after the silence became unbearable when Arthur's head snapped up. "Bedivere, can you lead Reece, Samuel, Wallace and Ramone to follow the tracks. Go, find the people up in the mountains and bring them back to Camelot. The rest of you, with me. We shall go after Mortgah."

"Sire," Arnold cut through his speech. "Mortgah isn't someone that you or Leon or Pellinore can fight. Bedivere and Ramone both can and Samuel was my squire for a year and the late Sir Lewis's for another. I taught him how to slay Giants before and I'm sure Lewis did the same."

"Exactly." Arthur said, turning to face Arnold with a harsh glare. "If we are wrong and Mortgah somehow makes it back to the mountains or is leading us away only to double back, then Bedivere, Ramone and Samuel can instruct Reece, Henry and Wallace on the proper way to kill a Giant." Arthur waited for Arnold to dare question him but the much older knight must have seen validity in his argument for he backed down.

"You are, of course, right sire. Sorry for doubting you." Arthur could tell each word he spoke was burning him by the way Arnold bit and scorned each letter but Arthur ignored it. He found, the best way to deal with Arnold was to ignore him until he walked away.

The two groups split again, this time with more haste. Arthur knew the giant would be ahead of them. He felt it in his bones and, he'd learnt over the passed year and a half of knowing Merlin, the boy seemed to attract all the trouble in Camelot. _Don't you dare try and die, you idiot._

* * *

_I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die… _Merlin pressed himself back against the back wall of the shallow cave, Kay, himself and Garreth had hidden in. They forced Garreth back between them, the knight unable to rouse his head anymore and delirious from the lack of sleep.

Kay kept his hand firmly over the knight's mouth to stop the whimpers from escaping and stayed back against the cave wall. Merlin was at the mouth of the cave, able to see small movements. They could still hear the thundering feet of the giant, walking towards them. They'd run for their lives, but for every step he took, they had to run fifteen paces at least and soon, Merlin could see the trees that fell in Mortgah's wake.

"This way." Kay had hissed and they dove into the caves, hiding themselves and waiting for the beast to pass.

Merlin turned his head around the corner and for the first time, saw the Giant as he passed. He was, as he was described. A Giant. Scraping the treetops with his shoulders, he was strong enough to shove any that he didn't agree with out of the way. His nose was the size of Merlin, age twelve and his jaw could wrap around a human with ease.

But he wasn't as wide as Merlin had thought. He was well muscled from what Merlin could see of his shirtless frame and pants that had been ripped into shorts, but lean with broad shoulders that had armour made from stones, carved to fit his curves and bends.

On his chest was a burn, the size of the giants open hand across his heart. It was a mark unlike any Merlin had seen, but when he spotted it, he knew it wove a strong magic into the Giant's skin.

His eyes were dark and his hair long, hanging around his shoulders and the only thing that made him look different from an overside human were the tusks in his mouth that came up from his bottom jaw and snarled into his face.

Busy trying to keep Garreth's breathing quiet, Kay didn't notice Merlin leaning around the corner. When he did, he yanked Merlin back and cursed as the younger boy yelped, colliding into Garreth and causing the sleepless knight to groan.

The footsteps of the giant stopped.

Merlin and Kay looked at each other, panic on their faces.

There was the sound of someone sniffing, only intensified by the size of the nostrils making the noise akin to a wild wind. "Meat…" a voice grumbled through the forest, echoing out and causing the earth to shake.

Some of the rocks above them trembled and collapsed down on them. Kay tugged Merlin and Garreth under him and saved their heads from damage with his body, though nothing bigger than a pebble fell. "Run." Kay instructed for the second time to Merlin, pointing to the entrance of the cave.

He glared furiously at Kay. "What about you and Garreth?"

"I'll carry Garreth, but you need to run and get out of here. No use the three of us dying."

Merlin shook his head. "I'll help you." he said, seeing the exhaustion on Kay's face and knowing the only way to get Garreth out of there was for them both to drag him.

"Merlin. Go." Kay ordered but too used to disobeying, Merlin tucked himself on the other side of Garreth and helped haul the knight up between them. Even though Merlin was shorter he still carried half the weight of Garreth.. "Thank you." Kay sighed in relief.

The two took off, running as fast as they could towards Camelot, the way they had before. Garreth was useless, his legs dragging and snagging on everything but neither Kay or Merlin had even considered leaving him behind.

Mortgah was heading towards them once more only this time with the purpose of hunting them. Merlin kept turning his head over his shoulder and could see the Giant gaining on them. He was struck with an idea and quickly unlaced himself from around Sir Garreth and took the knights sword.

Kay stopped and panted, "What are you doing?"

"He was heading to Camelot." Merlin said quickly. "Double back and go the long way to the castle to warn them. I'll keep heading north. Hopefully, he'll follow me."

"Merlin!"

"Go!" He pushed them along then ran back to gain the Giants attention.

Kay looked alarmed and didn't move. He looked at Garreth in his arms then at Merlin and swore with an array of colourful language that would have made the fiercest of knights blush. "Merlin come back here!" he yelled.

Merlin turned around and shouted, "Get to safety Kay!"

After a moment of deliberation, Kay swore again and then hauled Garreth up. "Come on you useless sod. Move your legs!"

Meanwhile, Merlin was running back to the Giant, a spell already in mind. When the legs, thicker than most trees, appeared in his view, Merlin threw his hand out in front of him and yelled, "_Astrice!_"

It hit the Giants shins and he staggered back, but didn't fall. He growled and knelt down until his face was leering over Merlin's, eclipsing the sky from his vision. "Little sorcerer… I _hate_ _little sorcerers!_" he shouted and Merlin flew back under the pressure from his breath alone.

It sent him hurtling at least twenty feet and cuts and bruises showed up on his porcelain skin where he tumbled on the ground. Finally, he caught on a tree and groaned at the pain blossoming on the back of his head and heard the Giant running. He looked up and groaned then pushed up onto his feet, collected the sword and ran, dodging in and out of the trees and hopefully staying out of the Giants direct line of sight.

He had read that whilst the Giants had an excellent sense of smell, it was much easier for them to use their hearing and sight.

Merlin glanced down at his feet and hissed, "_Forsuwung._" Every sound his feet made was silenced. No matter how many branches he cracked or leaves he rustled, his steps made no sound. _Arthur would appreciate this. _Merlin thought with a smirk. _Now I just need to get further enough ahead so he can't see me…_

To his right were another collection of caves and Merlin spotted them easily from where he stood but they were collected under a dense setting of trees and would be the hardest for Mortgah to spot.

Merlin turned left slightly and bolted in that direction. His legs felt heavy and shaky beneath him. He was waiting to trip and fall but by some miracle, he hadn't yet. He could see the shadow of the Giant over him and for some reason he was spurred on by Arthur's words. _"You'd get yourself eaten and then I'd have to explain to Gaius why I brought you home in a bread roll."_

He shook his head out. _I do not want to be eaten in a bread roll!_

Merlin finally reached the thicker parts of the trees and, though he had strength, the Giant was having a hard time getting through, needing to knock everything down because of his size. It gave Merlin enough time to run close enough to the caves to see there were four mouths.

He stared at them, unsure of which to go in but eventually chose the second from the left because it looked the deepest and the other three caves were too high up for him to climb. So he rushed in and started to go back into the deepest part of them when he heard a final tear from behind him and a roar.

"You think you can hide from me?" he shouted. "You tiny little sorcerer. You'll make me a tasty stew with your magic." Merlin tried to ignore the taunts and felt the earth rubble as Mortgah descended onto one knee and smelt his breath storm through the caves like a whirlwind.

Merlin hit the back wall of the cave, unsure of where else to go. He winced at the smell of his breath and tried not to think about what combination of meats made such a stench. He looked around and found it was too dark with Mortgah at the mouth of the cave casting shadows. He held his hand out and, as he had done since he was a small child, a blue orb of pure magic erupted in his palm.

He turned his head and saw a tunnel climbing up to his left. With no other choice, Merlin sent the orb of light ahead and started to climb. The tunnel was wide, but it was smooth in a lot of places and it was hard for Merlin to stop slipping but he was determined to get up, the thought of what was behind him, spurring him on.

He turned briefly when the cave started shaking, causing rocks to fall and saw the long muscled fingers scrap the back of the largest part of the cave. "Come out, little sorcerer, before I crush you with rocks."

He saw spittle flying passed and could only determine Mortgah had pressed his mouth against the opening. Up at the top of the tunnel he'd climbed through, Merlin saw a natural light. He frowned and let his orb disappear, dragging himself up above the lip of the shaft. He threw his sword over first and pulled himself over on his stomach and laid there gratefully for a moment, letting himself sink into the rock and rubble.

Then, with adrenaline more than anything else, Merlin lurched forward and picked the sword up and let it help him stand.

He realised he was high up now, and then figured the four caves must have all be connected to one another. Clutching his side, a stitch paining his right, Merlin went forward and quietly crept out. The shaking and rattling was less and he found himself at the entrance of the tallest cave overlooking the Giant as he laid flat on the earth.

Mortgah had destroyed the thickest part of the trees and was leaning down, trying to fish Merlin out from the cave he'd run into. From this height, Merlin realised he had the perfect view of Mortgah's bare back.

He raised his eyebrow but noticed the way his armour was designed, Mortgah had protected his three weakest points. _But with magic…_ Merlin couldn't think of any spells but concentrated hard enough to see the armour loosen and detach itself with his instinctual craft. But, as he had learnt when he first started practicing, that magic weakened him. Normally, not by very much but it used up a lot more of his energy than when he trained his gifts and fashioned them with words.

He stumbled and saw double for a moment, his head spinning and his lack of sleep becoming visible in his trembling hands. He silently yawned to get more oxygen into his system and swallowed back his spit to keep his throat from drying up completely then looked to see his magic had paid off.

Where had once been armour was now empty skin, the stone pieces moving over just enough for Merlin to create targets. Mortgah was too busy growling and trying to get Merlin from the cave he wasn't in to notice the change of weight on his back

Merlin withdrew Arthur's dagger from his boot and raised it above his head. He aimed it straight for the first pressure point, just below the nape of his neck. He took a steadying breath to stop himself from shaking and imagined himself and Will setting up tin cups on the edge of the village, using rocks to knock them over. Then, as they got better, carving marks into trees and stealing knives and daggers.

He thought of Will, snarling whenever Merlin got the dagger straight in the middle and he'd missed. "_You used magic._" he'd complain.

"_I swear I didn't."_ And Merlin never did. He opened his eyes and held his hand out to make an 'L' with his left hand to angle his mark correctly.

"Come on, mate, just do it already." he heard Will and turned his head and saw him standing there.

"Will?" he whispered furiously then remembered what Gaius had taught him long ago. An indicator of a lack of sleep and exhaustion were hallucinations. "Oh great." he mumbled.

"Just hit him! Kill him! Use your magic, mate. I know you can." Will looked like he did when he last saw him at twelve, but Merlin had received plenty of letters that told him he'd grown.

"Go away." Merlin hissed furiously, trying to regain his concentration but Will darted around him.

"You really think you can do this alone, Merlin?" he flinched and turned to see Gwen sitting on the edge of the rocks in her butter yellow dress with flowers on the ends. His vision swam and she peered over the edge at the Giant. "He's big… He's _really_ big Merlin. Oh wow, he's frightening with those tusks!"

"Of course he's frightening." Will said, going and plopping himself next to her. "He's a human eating Giant. That's bloody horrifying mate. You should be wetting yourself right now."

"Oh please, both of you shut up." he groaned and closed his eyes again and tried once more but Will started to taunt him louder. He loved Will, he did but sometimes Merlin needed him to shut up and stop doubting him and Gwen… Gwen was obviously his personification of his own personal fears.

He felt something wrap around him and turned his head and blushed. Morgana had her head resting on his shoulder and her arms around his waist. She hugged him tight from behind and then rested her chin on his shoulder. "You don't have to do this… Come back. You'll be safe just sitting up here." she purred in his ear and he felt himself relax.

"Merlin, come here." he turned his head sharply and saw Hunith, robes gathered around him. "Be safe. Stay here with me." The folds of her clothes looked so warm and welcoming that he staggered. Morgana was his temptation to do away with everything and be selfish for once and run and Hunith was his longing to just be safe.

"No." his head snapped once more and he saw an imposing figure of Arthur standing in front of him. "Don't be an idiot, Merlin." The rest of the visions were blurred by his appearance and he was overwhelmed by the vision of a very angry Arthur. "Now you wanted to come on this quest. Make yourself useful. Paralyse the Giant."

"But-" He felt the hands of Morgana snake around his waist and the pull of his mother's gentle voice. Gwen's eyes were alight with fear and Will's snickering with taunting doubt, making Merlin feel inadequate.

"But nothing." Arthur snapped and all the hallucinations disappeared momentarily, but Arthur. He moved out of the way and pointed to Mortgah. "Just calm down and show us what you've got." Once more, Merlin centred himself and this time he found Arthur's voice in his ear. "Aim. Be certain. You've only got one shot at this."

He nodded and took aim. Feeling perfectly calm, he threw the dagger and it lodged itself perfectly in the nape of Mortgah's neck. The Giant howled and pulled away from the cave, arching its back and trying to pull the dagger from his neck that looked like a splinter on him. "Ever hit a moving target?" Imaginary Arthur asked him.

Merlin shook his head and glared at him, only briefly aware that he was chatting with a hallucination. "You never let me try at hunting. You take the crossbow from me, nattering that I'm doing it all wrong!"

"You don't _like_ hunting."

"Oh _shut up_." Merlin withdrew the bow and arrow. He pulled it up to his chin and aimed it at the Giants back. He was writhing and trying to stand, only the first dagger had already found its mark perfectly.

He was too quick on the first arrow, not even considering the wind around him and it bounced off Mortgah's arrow. "Do it again." Arthur said sternly. "Only properly this time."

Gwen appeared to his left. "Oh no, he's getting up."

He shook his head clear as Mortgah was indeed standing. Merlin rushed around the edge of the cave and angled himself so he was still behind Mortgah. He aimed the arrow directly from the small of his back and let the arrow fly.

A gust of wind came from nowhere and once again he missed.

He stopped himself from screaming because Mortgah was looking around for him but hadn't yet spotted him at the head of the cave, instead choosing to look around his feet where all of the attacks he received susually came from. The two arms around his waist tightened and Morgana's voice was even softer. "You need to run with me. Get away from here."

"Merlin! Come! Be safe." his mother shouted and he flashed to see her warm dress waiting for him in the cave.

"You can't do it, mate. You've never hit a moving target."

"He's turning around! Merlin, he'll eat you."

"Merlin, concentrate!" Arthur shouted and Merlin wanted to shout back he couldn't work under pressure but bit his tongue. He threw off all the imaginary weight on his shoulders and straightened up.

The wind calmed around him and Merlin took three steps to the left to stay behind Mortgah. He knew it was now or never and found his target and let the arrow fly once more. This time, it went and hit its target directly and Mortgah fell to his knees.

The landing outside the cave where he stood shook and the ground beneath him started to give way. "Jump!" all the voices shouted and Merlin pitched forward, grabbing the sword before he did so and landed on Mortgah's shoulder.

The giant screamed and spun around, but Merlin clutched onto the straps of his shoulder plates for dear life with one arm, the other holding the sword. The back of his armour crashed to the ground where it shattered and Merlin was in danger of doing the same. He turned his head and saw Will hanging beside him. "Well this is fun, ain't it."

Merlin laughed hysterically then saw the centre of the shoulder blades where a strip of thick rope hung. It looked to be the back of a necklace Mortgah wore and it dangled just like any other chain. He turned his head and saw Arthur standing, somehow on thin air, glaring at him. "The centre. Remember? One, two and three."

Merlin nodded and swung himself across, not really heeding the fact he was in danger, and caught the rope, sliding down and feeling his hand burn. He shouted when he realised he couldn't stop himself from letting go of the rope but rather, found himself sliding down Mortgah's spine. He took the knife and scratched the Giants skin, until he saw the pressure point and he suddenly knew why they were so tender.

He slammed the sword in and Mortgah shouted and fell forward on his stomach, jarring Merlin who went down with him, clutching onto his back as the Giant fell, thankfully, forward with a loud, jarring crash.

He saw, underneath the sword, a thick cartilage like bone that must have connected straight to the spine and created a bump on the skin. Sure enough, when he looked at where his dagger and arrow were buried, there were two more.

He laid with his face pressed against Mortgah's sweaty back and then realised how disturbing it was that he was lying against the moaning Giants skin. Drunkenly, he pushed himself off Mortgah who laid, twitching on the ground. From what Merlin had read, his body would push the weapons from his back and he would heal but it would take some time.

Staggering away from Mortgah, Merlin felt the ground rumble bneath him as the Giant screamed. Merlin pitched forward but caught himself on a tree. He gasped and knew what Garreth was talking about when he said his body felt like stones.

He wrapped his arm around the tree and pushed himself up. "Got… get… Cam…lot…" he told himself – or maybe the imaginary figures following him – panting heavily.

Successfully, he walked a yard and was in a thicker part of the forest, out of Mortgah's sight. But then he fell forward and he knew he wasn't getting up again. "Merlin?" he turned his head and saw Morgana there again. She started stroking his hair and smiled. "Rest. I'll keep watch."

His eyes closed to sleep but they wouldn't, couldn't. The ghost feeling of her stroking his face and hair kept him down and he rested there. "Regain some energy. Arthur's coming and then you can go."

Idly, she chatted to him, or his subconscious did. Merlin could hear every word ring out because they were apart of his own mind. He kept yawning and every few minutes would try to move and get to the beans Gaius had given him, but Morgana hushed him and rubbed his head. "Just wait. I'll tell you when."

So he nodded and agreed and stayed laying there, blankly staring out to nothing in pure exhaustion.

* * *

**A/N: **Review if you're awesome! And read my one-shot Sorcerers Hand, if you wish to be entertained by the plot bunny that was giving me writers block on this chapter... It was bouncing so adamantly I coudn't concentrate on writing this one.


	29. Borderline Insanity

**A/N: TN Sarah, **thank you! Reaction, ahoy. **IndiaMoore, **More ahead, thanks for reviewing :) **lolello, **Oh wow. Many questions. I like that. Um, yes Arthur will, but not yet. Uther, no. Ignorant is not being played. He doesn't see it and he doesn't want to see because... well... I can't say without spoiling things... FLASHBACK. Um, there is a prequel being (very slowly) written and uploaded under 'Letters of Camelot'. You can find it on my Bio. The entire thing is a flashback. :) Flashback in here? MAYBE... Soon. I don't know properly yet... You've actually gotten me to think about it and I think I can incorporate it. The Emrys and Future King part WILL come soon, (very, very soon) BUT I've already hinted at it in Chapter 21 though, no one noticed... (awkward). Ector already... Just read. AND LoL... Wrote this chapter long before you reviewed so... Test. Hehe... **Tawny,** Yes! I was in hospital (feels like a lifetime ago) when I first started this story. I'm fine now. Still on medication though... Thank you for worrying :) I am devastated that Merlin is being axed. I have no idea what I'm going to do next year on Sunday mornings... It was my hangover cure during Christmas... I... I don't want to talk about it... It depresses me. **mrlnfan, **Yes! XD **DistressedClover,** Wow. Thank you. :) I'm glad you enjoyed it. **Guest 1, **(who wrote I had a gift for writing) wow. Thank you, very much... I'm honoured you think that. **Guest 2, **(who said great story) THANKS! Glad you're enjoying. **bluespiritgal, **I like your name. Thanks for reviewing. THIS IS YOUR REPLY FROM CHAPTER 8! I like writing Will/Merlin banter and will be doing more soon (hint, hint) and I like Arthur angst... secretly, a lot... Um, yes. They do know Balinor was Merlin's son, but they don't really know who Balinor was. **bubzchoc, **THANKS! **lillelouis, **please do continue. Review when you catch up. It always makes me happy to see a returning reviewer from Chapter 1.** A maze thing, **I'm going to confess, I secretly wait for you and **DistressedClover **to review to post the next chapter, unless I'm really far ahead in writing or know I won't be able to upload for a long while... I love writing actions scenes and that was one of my fav's. Um, Arnold? Useful? Hmm... We'll see... hehehe. No one can keep Merlin in check. :) They can sleep when I sleep, which lately is never. Thus the inspiration.** Guest 3,** (who thinks this story is awesome) you have good taste... Um XD... I wish you weren't a guest, so I coud quell your fears but... It will be a Mergana pairing... DON'T WORRY! Even if it goes in a direction you might not like, think of it as a detour to the end... I can't explain it because it'll ruin everything for everyone soo, just don't worry. Mergana will not be psychopathic. Or smirk. Good lord, she will not smirk in my story **Bubbelchoklad, **HERE IS MORE! :) **Procrastination is my Game, **procrastination is my life! :O Sorry, love good FF names. Funnily enough, before you even reviewed I'd already written what you'd asked for but like... slightly. Chapter 31 (already written) is most definitely for you. **titan616, **Thank you. I take a lot of pride in my battle scenes... Merlin _is_ awesome and I love Will... actually, I love the actor who plays Will, Joe Dempsie, because he's in Skins and Game of Thrones and plays my favourite characters in both, Chris and Gendry.

* * *

**Borderline Insanity**

It took them an age, but Arthur and his knights finally found their way back to where they'd left Merlin, Kay and Garreth and looked around concerned. None of them were there. In fact, there were signs they'd left in a rush, Kay and Garreth's packs left behind. Merlin's obviously wasn't but Arthur didn't think he'd seen him take it off since they'd left Camelot, most likely too tired to even consider lifting his arms.

"The Giants steps go straight through here." Arnold said, looking around. "If Mortgah got here first…"

"It doesn't mean they're dead." Arthur said firmly. "Let's go on."

Mortgah's tracks ruined Merlin, Kay and Garreth's, the three obviously not caring who saw them running. At one point they split and Arthur sent Leon and Percival to go after them but soon, the two parties met up. "They'd run but then he must have found them." Walden said, his voice lacking any sort of emotion. He often spouted off things like a report on taxes and Arthur felt cold.

"Let's keep going."

Once again, the tracks split, only this time two went west whilst another ran directly into the path of the Giant. "One of them ran a distraction to help the others escape." Arthur followed the tracks, looking to where they headed. They were smaller than the other two, and one of the tracks was clearly being dragged and was still being dragged as they headed west. _Kay and Garreth went the long way around to Camelot… Merlin was the distraction_.

He felt his heart rate pick up and he started to tremble, butt put it down to exhaustion instead of fear. He turned back to Pellinore and Leon who understood his message. They went after Kay and Garreth and Arthur followed Mortgah and Merlin's tracks.

Eventually, they veered north-east and not too soon after, Arthur saw the caves up ahead and Mortgah laying in front of them. "There!" he called out and started forward.

Frenwyn grabbed Arthur's shoulder and tugged him back. "The Giant is down but I'm certain he's not completely out. They all knew where to hit him, so he might simply be paralysed. Be quiet and calm yourself."

Arthur flushed at being scolded by Frenwyn but nodded at the moment, realising he looked like an eager child in front of the other three elder knights. He calmed himself and, stealthily, the four went forward carefully to be as silent as possible.

They reached the caves and Arthur saw Mortgah up close for the first time. He winced as nothing of what he saw was overly pleasant. The tusks were strange enough as it was but his armpit was quite close to where Arthur stood and horrid scents were coming out from them.

Without fear, Arnold climbed up the Giants arm, but the creature wasn't unconscious, only paralysed and it growled sending a wave of hot rank air over the forest. "Oh, shut up." Arnold snapped, kicking him roughly. Walden went up next, followed by Frenwyn and then a very nervous Arthur.

The feeling of flesh and meat under his feet was so bizarre and it made Arthur feel sick. But he ignored that when Arnold was studying the wounds. "Prince Arthur, is this not your dagger?" he asked, pointing at the one embedded into the base of the neck.

He went and inspected and then felt himself turn to ice. "I gave it to Merlin." he muttered.

It was pulling out of the skin, the flesh rejecting it and trying to heal over but Arnold shoved it deeper into Mortgah's back, making him arch. Frenwyn, Walden and Arthur all tried balancing themselves but Arnold looked perfectly comfortable. "Lucky shot." he muttered in regard to what Merlin must have done.

"Three lucky shots." Frenwyn added, a small smirk on his face at the irritation it caused Arnold.

Arthur looked and saw the arrow and Sir Garreth's sword embedded at the other two pressure points. He braced himself as he saw Frenwyn and Walden shove them in deeper to keep Mortgah still for longer.

This time when the Giant shook, Arthur knew it was coming and squatted and balanced himself. He looked to Arnold who had the lead on this indirectly and watched as he used his sword to slide down Mortgah's back, causing a long scar to erupt on the skin. The Giant shook and yelled but Arnold had a face of indifference as he landed on the ground and dragged the sword out painfully.

Arthur, Frenwyn and Walden also climbed down but without injuring Mortgah anymore. "What do you want?" Arnold asked, walking over to the Giants face. "And don't say dinner, it's unbecoming to lie."

The Giant narrowed his eyes and growled. "You." his breath should have rotted the forest but instead just made Arthur want to gag. "You're the one who trapped me in the North."

"I didn't trap you." Arnold rolled his eyes and leant on his sword casually. "You think _I _can trap you? I merely led you away from the city."

"Fine. You didn't trap me." he growled. "But the other one did." Frenwyn, Walden and Arnold all stiffened and none of them would meet Arthur in the eye as he stared at them all curiously. "Let me go and we'll see who can really win in a fight."

"I know you can grind my bones, Mortgah." Arnold snapped. "What I want to know is who sent you and what this sleeping curse is?"

"Not sleeping curse. Sleepless curse. And she bound me. She didn't free me. She dragged me from my cave and bound me with her magic."

Walden stepped forward. "Lady? You're being controlled by a woman?"

"She is a High Priestess and she freed me from the prison you put me in and bound me in new magic. I hate magic!" Mortgah growled and tilted his head forward to Arnold. "You can't hold me here forever. When I heal, I'll come for you, little knight. I'll come and I'll rip you up and gnash you between my teeth. I like them live and screaming. I like them buttered and tasting like fire too, but you can't kill them first. No, no, you need to leave them alive to roast in the fire. They scream a lot more like that. What will you be?"

Arnold snorted and lunged forward with his sword, burying it to the hilt into Mortgah's eye. He screamed and writhed but couldn't move to grab his eye. The entire forest shook with his shouts as Arnold withdrew the sword himself. Mortgah closed his eyes and buried his face in the dirt. "I'll kill you!" he shouted but Arnold didn't look to care as he turned around.

"We need to go back to Camelot. There should be some magical binds left in the vaults."

Walden reached out and grabbed Arnold's arm. "Control yourself. This is not like the old days."

"You said a high priestess released you." Frenwyn shouted out over the Giants screams. "Was it Nimueh?"

The Giant was howling so loud that it was a surprise he heard them at all. Arthur wondered who the hell Nimueh was when Mortgah beat his head against the ground. "She bound me! She bound me to the North then came back and bound me to her will."

Frenwyn's eyes widened in panic. "Who is Nimueh?" Arthur asked, but the name was vaguely familiar.

No one answered. "We must go." Arnold said and started walking away from the Giant. "Now."

"But what about him?" Arthur asked, pointing Mortgah.

"He will heal. There is nothing we can do." Frenwyn gently took Arthur's arm and led him away. "We need to find his bindings and lure him back to the cave. There is no other way."

Arthur turned his head. "What about Merlin?" he said, looking around. He saw a set of tracks leaving the Giant, small one's about Merlins' size. "Merlin!" He yanked away from Frenwyn who was shouting after him and ran after the tracks, following them until he found himself in dense forest.

"Merlin!" he shouted out again, looking around and stumbling tiredly.

He heard a rustle of bush and his head snapped in that direction. He didn't even consider it to be something that could attack him. Something in Arthur knew and he bolted forward and pushed aside the thick leaves and saw Merlin laying there, staring at him tiredly with dark circles under his eyes and dried sweat on his face. "You're not… a… hall… hallucination. Right?"

Arthur laughed and shook his head, kneeling beside him and helping him up. "No. You're stuck with me. The real me."

"Oh. Good. Imaginary you was bossy. Much preferred Imaginary Morgana." Merlin pressed his hand on Arthur's shoulder to steady himself whilst standing but shouted and clutched his hand to his chest and fell back down. After catching his breath he managed to whimper, "Ouch."

Arthur yanked his hand into his lap and glared at the thick rope burn running down the middle of his hand caked with dirt that also dug deep into his fingernails as though he had been clench the cold earth to ease the pain. "How did you do that?" Arthur hissed.

"You told me to get to the centre and the rope…" he winced. "It hurts."

Arthur ripped away some of his shirt and quickly wrapped it around Merlin's hand to save it from getting dirtier than it already was. Then he slid his arm under Merlin's shoulder and pulled him up single-handedly. "Here we go…" Arthur grinned as they both straightened up, just glad his manservant was alive, but then his smile faltered when Merlin used his good hand to reach into his bag and take out a small bean. After a moment's hesitation, he shoved it into his mouth. He chewed it and made a face. "Bitter." he grumbled and then moved around a bit. "Better though."

"What was that?"

"Something to supposedly give me energy. It doesn't last long though and I think I knew you were coming so I waited." The two of them stood up together. "The Giant…"

"You paralysed it." Arthur said, a little awed. He started half-walking, half-dragging him back to where he'd left the other knights. "By yourself."

"For a moment I thought I imagined that too. Anyway, Imaginary Arthur was yelling at me and I really needed him to shut up." Merlin shook his head. "I'm exhausted and hallucinating and can't feel my legs." he spurted off his symptoms like he was talking to Gaius. "The Giant's trying to get to Camelot. I sent Kay and Garreth the long way to back, but they should be there by now, I think… or at least at the horses. I can't actually tell how much time has passed."

"Save your energy." Arthur hoisted him up further. "We're almost there." Frenwyn and Walden burst through the trees followed by a slower paced Arnold. Arthur grinned. "Or they'll come to us."

"Merlin?" Frenwyn said incredulously. "You… you survived."

Merlin nodded, deliriously. "The caves have tunnels, so I was alright. Then I kind of not really passed out over there and Morgana took care of me." He waved his arm in a general way but Arthur noted, with some small amount of humour, it was nowhere close to where he'd found him. "But y'know… can't sleep." His knees gave out and Arthur hoisted him further up, wrapping the younger boy's arm around his own neck. "These beans are hopeless."

"Yep. But we're getting you back to Camelot." Arthur dragged Merlin up. "Let's go." he said to the others.

"You should just leave him." Arnold growled. "He's a liability being that tired."

Much to Arthur's surprise, it was Walden who glared at Arnold and stepped protectively in front of Merlin. "He just brought a Giant down. I think he deserves to be exhausted." Walden moved around and nodded to Arthur. "I'm not that tired. I can carry him."

Merlin shook his head. "Not yet." he said and pushed his legs up. "I think the beans kicked in." And he took a wobbly step forward then laughed. "It works!"

Arthur looked at the other knights and tried to hide his smile. "He's delirious."

"I gathered." Frenwyn said with a small nod. "Arnold and I will stay behind to keep Mortgah down. You three head back to Camelot."

Arthur frowned. "But…"

"It is our duty to keep you alive, sire." Frenwyn said. "We can handle ourselves. You must go on ahead and warn your father in case Kay and Garreth didn't make it. I assume that's where they went, Merlin? To Camelot."

Merlin nodded. "Yes. I told them to run the long way. I distracted the Giant… he has bad breath. Should chew more greens." Arthur couldn't help but laugh, maybe a bit delirious himself with relief and tiredness.

"Come on." Walden shoved Merlin forward lightly. "Let's keep moving. Say goodbye to Sirs Frenwyn and Arnold."

Merlin nodded and waved his hand as he was led off. "Bye Sir Frenwyn. Bye Sir Arnold. See you later then."

Arthur smirked and went to follow them but Frenwyn caught his arm before he headed off. "Tell your father we will not last until morning. I'm an old man and, though he denies it, I can see Arnold's about to give into his exhaustion. We can hold off until dawn but I can't promise more time than that."

Arthur nodded and frowned a little. It was most definitely the delirium, Arthur was sure of it, when he threw his arm around Frenwyn and hugged him in a manly embrace. Frenwyn laughed lightly and hugged him back. "Go on, Arthur. You'll be fine." He nodded and then followed Walden and Merlin, catching up to them and ignored Arnold who was glaring at him.

* * *

The journey was long and tiring, Arthur stumbling quite a few times.

It was different now that he was going back to Camelot. Running from the village, following the Giant tracks, Arthur was determined to find Merlin and Kay and Garreth and had some sort of energy urging him on. It woke up in him, pounding fear through his blood and burning it into strength.

Now that it was gone, he was seeing double in his vision and things were blurring and not making sense. It was close to evening and he realised that in three days he'd only had three hours sleep. Most of the days, he'd been running around and now he just wanted to collapse.

Worse was, he could see how Merlin was reacting.

Whatever strange bean he'd eaten had worn off and left him worse for wear. Walden had to carry him on his back, Merlin looping his arms around the knight's neck and resting his head on his shoulder. Strangely – or maybe not strangely as Merlin could probably talk under water – he was babbling on about nonsense, though Arthur couldn't hear what he was saying through his thick haze of sleep deprived madness. Walden could have been paying attention to the serving boy but Arthur only heard non-committal grunts from him every now and then.

It was lucky that Walden was so tall and Merlin was still young and light, or else they wouldn't have made it back to Camelot by late evening. Arthur didn't think he could help carry Merlin when he kept trying to force himself not to rip off his heavy armour. The thought of leaving Merlin occurred to neither of them, even when Arnold suggested it and as they approached the drawbridge, Arthur thought, _Ha! He's not a liability._

At the gates, a rush of people greeted them. They helped Arthur up to the castle and took Merlin from Walden to relieve the knight of his load.

Arthur smiled. He could see the people of Camelot were just as exhausted as he was, but they were helping their prince and his companions up and taking them to Gaius.

Upon arriving to the physician's chambers, Arthur let two unnamed citizens drop him gently into a bed and Walden fell beside him on yet another cot. He let his head flop to his other side and saw someone place Merlin down in yet another cot and Morgana, pale faced and exhausted, sit by his side. "I tried to kill the giant." Merlin said. "Failed… but y'know. Got close."

Gaius, who appeared from nowhere in Arthur's mind, hushed the boy and gave him something to drink, tiredly. Arthur looked around more and saw Garreth and Kay, blankly staring ahead and soon after, Leon and Pellinore who looked more alert but not by much.

The door slammed open a moment – or possible an age – later and in stalked a furious looking Uther. "What happened? Arthur?" _Oh yeah… if my father is tired he gets grumpy._

He raised his arm tiredly and wondered why he wore so much armour. It was weighing him down and tiring him even more. "Over here, father." he said, waving his hand. It wasn't proper protocol but no one seemed to be caring about any sort of propriety, especially when Morgana started tending to Merlin. "Merlin killed the giant." he said.

Uther turned his head to Merlin in shock then looked back at Arthur. "What?"

"Paralysed!" Merlin shouted, swinging his arm over drunkenly. He hit Arthur. Arthur frowned and shoved him and his servant fell off the bed. _When did his bed get that close?_ He peered up and saw there were many cots around Gaius's chambers. _When did this place get so full?_

"Arthur," Gaius scolded him as Morgana helped Merlin aback up onto the bed.

"No. Wait." he ignored them all and turned back to his father. "Not killed. Paralysed. All by himself." he added, beaming. "Oh yeah and Frenwyn said you have until dawn and then Mortgah will eat us."

Uther turned his head to Gaius, to Arthur and back again. "Gaius he's making no sense!"

"He's delusional. All of them are."

"I make perfect sense." Arthur grunted and then closed his eyes. After a moment or two they flung open. "I can't sleep!"

"Sire, I need someone to prepare some warm baths. One for each of them. Their hearts are all beating too erratically. If they don't calm…"

"Get it done, Gaius."

Arthur blacked out, though he was quite sure – certain – he was still awake. When he came around next, he was in a bath and surrounded by steaming water. He looked around and blinked a few time, realising how dry his eyes were. Someone was dragging up the warm water over his chest and forehead and it relaxed him. "What…?" he tilted his head to the side and saw a servant he couldn't remember the name of.

"You're having a bath, sire." The servant said, exasperated as though he'd repeated himself a thousand times. "Just lie still and relax. Gaius's orders."

Arthur groaned and nodded, relaxing into the bath but not enough to fall under. It wasn't sleep. It was nowhere near as good as sleep, but it close enough.

He was led out of the bath before the water turned cold and kept warm and dry and then put into his chambers where he was dressed and slipped into his bed. Sleep wouldn't come but his brain and body were resting and a part of Arthur understood what Gaius was trying to do. It was the best imitation of sleep and rest that they could do.

He stayed unmoving for a long while and felt his energy stores build up. Then, Gaius came around to his room with a thick paste that smelt horrible and tasted worse. Arthur grimaced as it was rubbed on his tongue and Gaius order, "Swallow it all, sire."

Arthur obeyed, but only to get the taste off his tongue. The paste made its way down his throat and hit his stomach. He felt it and _tasted it_ the entire journey down. A few minutes later, Arthur felt awake for the first time since the previous morning. "Gaius?" he asked blearily.

"Yes sire, it's me."

"Where's Merlin?" he asked, yawning.

Gaius turned to the door and Arthur looked up to see Merlin standing there, looking weary but otherwise awake. His hand was bandaged up to the elbow and he had a bandage on his cheek. Beside him was Gwen and she didn't look nearly as bad as his manservant, but was swaying all the same. "You're awake."

"We all are." Merlin said grimly, then shuffled forward, moving further into the room. "Thanks… you know. For coming for me."

"You paralysed the Giant." Arthur said, just as in awe as when he first realised what Merlin had done. "By yourself. How?"

"I… I actually don't remember how I did it exactly. I sort of remember just knowing I had the opportunity to hit him in the back and I had to take it." Merlin shook his head. "I barely remember you finding me. I was really out of it."

Gwen stepped forward, "Your father wants to see you. Both of you actually."

Arthur nodded and looked down at his nightshirt. "Let me change." he yawned. Gaius and Gwen left, Merlin waiting behind.

His movements were sluggish as though he'd just woken up from a long deep sleep. The longer the paste lingered in his system the more he woke up and his memories of the last day slotted together and painted a picture of insanity.

Merlin and him spoke briefly. Merlin told him all he remembered from the time he'd left him in the forest to the time he'd found him and Arthur told him what he'd found out about Vertigern. "Apparently, the Eoten Cwelland's weren't eradicated in the Great Purge, but during Vertigern's time to gain the trust of the beasts."

He groaned slightly at his weariness and started to move out of his room, Merlin not far behind. Eventually he paused and waited for him to catch up. He yawned slowly and turned his head. "Do you think we can…" he sighed and closed his eyes. "How much longer can do you think we survive without sleep?"

"I asked Gaius." Merlin said, yawning in response. "He said…" he hummed and rubbed his eyes. "A day. People in the lower town have already started dying… Children… the elderly. It's horrible."

"How do we break this spell?" Arthur complained, he stopped walking and looked out down the hall, thinking. "We can't kill Mortgah. We can't fight him like this."

"I think that's the plan, Arthur." Merlin said. "Weaken us so we can't fight back. We'll all be so tired that most of us won't remember dying."

Arthur and Merlin locked gazes and Arthur felt hopeless. "You're smart. Aren't you supposed to know what to do?"

Merlin thought for a minute then said, "Let's go see the King. Then I'll remember how smart I am later."

They made it the rest of the way in an exhausted silence and the guards at the door barely pushed it open. They were all relieved of their armour, the equipment too heavy to carry and, as they entered the council chambers, Arthur noted how improper everyone looked.

No one had the energy to wear all their fineries and nearly all were in tunics and trousers. Gaius was there and was sitting down at the table, a rarity. Rowan was there with his brother, both slumped against the wall, still standing but clearly exhausted. He noted his father still wore his crown, but it looked to be weighing down his head. "Arthur." The king said tiredly. "What news?"

"None." Arthur said and then looked and found two empty seats at the table. He sat, not because he was tired but because he wished to conserve energy and started retelling their journey. "…Garreth fell, too tired to continue. Kay and Merlin stayed behind. The rest of us went on to village. We found the Mortgah's tracks leading back to Camelot and the tracks of those who escaped. I charged Sir Bedivere on a mission to go find survivors.

"We followed the tracks back and found the Giant passed Garreth, Kay and Merlin. I sent Pellinore and Leon after Kay and Garreth's tracks. Merlin ran to distract Mortgah and we found them at the edge of the Caves of Haldor. Merlin had paralysed the Giant and then fell himself from exhaustion. We found him and Arnold and Frenwyn stayed behind to keep the weapons in Mortgah's back and we returned to Camelot to warn you."

Uther turned his gaze on Merlin. "You. You paralysed the Giant."

"Yes sire." Merlin said, nodding his head. "I knew where the pressure points were from my books and was cornered in the caves."

The king shook his head. "_You_ single-handedly defeated the Giant."

Merlin blinked and nodded his head once more. "Once I hit him the first time in the back, it was easier. But Arthur helped."

"How? He wasn't there."

"I had his voice yelling at me in the back of my head." Merlin explained and sighed, trying not to yawn.

"Father, this is not the point." Arthur interrupted. "The point is, Frenwyn and Arnold will get tired and the Giant will come for us. But we are in no shape to fight."

"Camelot does not surrender." Uther growled.

"I'm not saying we will." Arthur felt much better than earlier, but he was still tired. "I'm merely pointing out everyone in this room looks as though they will collapse."

"We must find the sorcer who cast this spell." Uther growled.

Arthur sat up straighter. "Frenwyn asked Mortgah and the Giant replied it was some sort of sleepless curse cast by the sorceress named Nimueh." The Court had been half-asleep but at the name Nimueh, they all straightened up and gasped, turning to look at the King.

Joined with the image of the Court and the rage on his father's face, Arthur knew where he'd heard that name before. It had been the name scrawled above Merlin's father's own title. The title of Court Sorceress. He watched as his father was renewed with energy and his face flushed with anger.

Uther growled. "Guards! Double the patrol."

"But sire," one of them started to object.

"Now!" Uther shouted.

Arthur and Merlin shared a glance of worry and, to Arthur's surprise, Merlin's face set in determination.

* * *

After the meeting with the king, Merlin found a gap in Arthur's concentration to sneak away. It wasn't too hard. The prince kept closing his eyes and opening them again when he realised he wasn't asleep.

Merlin left the room quietly and made his way down the familiar path to the Dragon's lair underneath Camelot. For once, no guards patrolled. There were so many in the streets of Camelot, doubling the guard as Uther had instructed, and many more dying of exhaustion in the infirmary, that there were none to spare.

He held onto the wall so he didn't tumble down the stairs and lit the torch with magic as usual. He yawned and tried not to think too much of the way his limbs were barely cooperating with his mind or how the world looked as though it was passing seconds after he was experiencing it. He was shaky and starving too, and the emptiness in his stomach made him want to heave and collapse but there was no relief.

Finally, he got down to the ledge that led out to the dragon and found there was nothing there. "Dragon!" he shouted out, tilting his head back. "I need your help!"

The sound of beating wings played a throbbed against the heavy pulsating already in Merlin's head. It had officially been three days without sleep and in four, he'd rested no more than three hours.

He remembered how tired he had been the days before the spell. When Gaius had discovered the gambling money, in what felt like a lifetime ago, he'd been exhausted as it was and only came around to be kept up by Arthur and his thoughts all night to divide up the gold. Then he'd walked around and shopped all day and the sun had been uncharacteristically hot and draining.

That night there had been a party Merlin attended with Gwen and Elyan until someone ran to tell him Gaius needed assistance and after that, he'd received a few hours of fitful sleep before the curse tore threw him and jolted him awake.

Currently, the Great Dragon swept down and sat in front of him, peering down. "Young Warlock, you look ill."

"I'm lacking sleep." Merlin shot back, irritably.

"I sense the whole of Camelot is." Merlin briefly wondered how the Dragon knew so much about the goings on outside of his prison and the beast, reading his mind, said, "I know everything, young Warlock."

Merlin calmed himself and nodded. "It would seem I need your help." he said. "The sorceress, Nimueh–"

"Nimueh?" the dragon roared. Merlin braced himself as the shout crashed over him. "What is the Witch doing?"

"Casting a sleepless curse and releasing the Giant Mortgah, it seems." he replied easily. After receiving a reprimanding glare from the Dragon, Merlin said, for the third time, "I need your help. Mortgah is less than a day away and I don't know how much longer Sirs Frenwyn and Arnold can keep him down. Camelot cannot fight him with the spell still cast. How do I break it?"

"It is not a spell or a curse that is easily broken." The Dragon lifted his head. "Nimueh must have released the Demon Morpheus from his prison and gained the ancient seal. He is an ancient God and rules over sleep and Dream and is the only one who can delay Ibormeith's gifts of blessing everyone with sleep."

"Well how do I stop it?"

"You must break the seal by killing he who possesses it. The seal can only be used if it is bound to a life source, plant, animal or human. As long as it has life the curse cannot be stopped."

Merlin paled. "I… I have to kill someone?"

"Or something… it is the only way, young Warlock."

Merlin swallowed but his dry throat grated against itself and he found himself stifling coughs instead. "This seal… do you know who possesses it?"

The Dragon shook his head. "No. But I can show you what it looks like." Merlin watched as the Dragon breathed fire into the air and it spun into different shapes until it settled on a pattern that was familiar.

"That was the burn marked in Mortgah's chest." Merlin said, slowly realising how fool proof the sorceresses plan was. "And Giant's cannot be killed by Mortal Weapons."

The Dragon raised his eyebrow, "No they can't young Warlock. Only an Giant Killer can and there are very few in this world left."

"Giant… what?"

"An _Eoten_ _Cwelland_. More loosely translated into Giant Killer." The Dragon looked bored as he spoke.

Merlin looked up. "Wait… you said, very few. I was told they were all destroyed."

"The world is a large place, Merlin and there is one left in all of Albion."

Merlin's brow furrowed. "Where?"

"Think about it, young Warlock. Why would the Giants bow to a Human King?"

His brow darted up like Gaius and he choked out on laughter. "Because he had the only thing that could destroy them. But where is the sword now?"

"That, young Warlock, I cannot answer. Only four people were privy to the information. Two are dead, one is disgraced and the last is Uther."

"I thought you knew everything." Merlin reminded him.

The Dragon growled, "I cannot force myself into the minds of those who resist or do not believe in me. There has to be a certain amount of… give. Now in regards to Nimueh… there is only one way to destroy her and that is to use her weakness against her."

"Destroy her?" Merlin's tongue felt thick in his mouth. "I… I can't do that."

"You _must_." The Dragon insisted. "It is your fate and the sooner the better. The single thing I know she treasures more than anything is the man she used to love. He lives in Camelot. She would have given up her role as High Priestess for him, but didn't as he found another."

Merlin's brow furrowed. "To be a High Priestess, she couldn't love?"

"She could love, but she had to abstain. She was a druid. It is very difficult for a druid to become a fully-fledged Sorcerer without sacrificing something. Her purity is what has kept her amongst the powerful." The Dragon huffed, "But, if I remember correctly, for her beloved she would do almost anything. His name, I believe, was Ector. Sir Ector. A knight. He is also the one who can tell you where the Eoten Cwelland is, the only one in Camelot who you can trust wholly."

* * *

It was close to dawn when the sleepless Ector heard his front door opening. Too exhausted to move and, even worse, too exhausted to flinch when the unnamed visitor approached his room and entered that too. He should have moved, in case the stranger was an attacker, but he couldn't bring himself to twitch.

"Father?" two knees fell beside the bed and Ector saw Kay hovering in his vision.

"Kay?" Ector took a deep breath and forced his head to turn. It felt like his whole body was chained down to his comforting bed. "You're back." he said, setting his eyes on his son. Like him, Kay had thick brown hair and green eyes. His jaw was slender and lean like the rest of him, a trait he received from his mother. Ector had been much more of a tall block in his youth.

"Gaius sent this." Kay said, slipping a small jar from under his cloak. In it was a thick black paste. "He perfected it. It mimics ease and relaxes the body like sleep." Unabashed, Kay eased his father's jaw open and slid his tongue out, spreading it over the muscle before tucking it back behind Ector's teeth and shutting his mouth. "Rub it over the roof of your mouth and keep swallowing." Kay said gently, sliding some of Ector's grey streaked hair back.

Ector complied and eventually, all of it was down his throat.

It worked as soon as it hit his stomach, rousing him enough to sit up on his own. Kay helped him anyway and eased his arms under his elbows to keep him steady. "Are you alright?"

"I should ask you that." Ector made Kay rest beside him and the two men sat with their back against the wall on the bed. "You just faced a giant."

"Hmm." Kay shook his head. "_Merlin_ just faced a giant."

Ector jolted in surprise and turned is head. "What?"

"Merlin faced Mortgah. It's a long story."

"We have time."

The words were offered as a suggestion but the tone was one the son knew too well. It was more of a gentle demand. So, Kay settled himself against the wall, too tired to try and be more manly, and told the disgraced knight exactly what happened. "… And then I dragged Garreth all the way back to Camelot. I… I don't remember much of it. I just knew how to get to Camelot and knew if I didn't Merlin would have sacrificed himself for nothing. Imagine my surprise when I came to in a bathtub mere feet away from Merlin's, the boy relatively unscathed." Kay laughed quietly. "He brought down a giant single-handedly."

"His father's son." Ector said quietly.

The two sat in a comfortable silence for a long while, staring into the flames that were still alight in the middle of the room. The sun was lighting the room but without sleep, they both felt too cold to extinguish the warming fire. "Why not tell him?" Kay asked quietly. "Tell him who you are, at least. Aunt Hunith sent him here. Surely she should know–"

"Hunith wrote to me." Ector said coldly. "She doesn't want Merlin to know who Balinor is. Apparently while he inherited Balinor's blind courage, he was inbred with his mother's curiosity and Hunith is already worried enough as it is. The boy keeps sending his friend letters involving his adventures and she secretly reads them." There was a strange tenuous friendship between the woman from Ealdor and the ex-knight of Camelot.

From stories Kay had Gaius tell him and things his father had said himself, the two had once gotten on famously… but then - Kay remembered exactly when in the coldest harshest winter they'd seen after the Purge – Ector had growled angrily that Hunith was mad and he was furious with her.

Other things had happened that winter, but Kay didn't think of it. After that, letters between Ector and Hunith dwindled, only staying connected enough because of their love for Balinor and, of course, Merlin. Kay understood it. His father was fiercely protective of his family and Merlin was no exception. In fact, Ector had told Kay long before he'd even met Merlin, that the young boy was his kin and should be treated and loved like a younger brother. "You two might be miles apart but he's your responsibility."

Kay was a serious child and a very loyal one too. He had looked after Arthur, Leon, Pellinore, Morgana and the entire army of sibling's Leon had all at one point and had never cared. Now, Merlin was another person he had to care for and this time, it was personal. Merlin was family, after all.

"You said… you said that Nimueh behind all of this." Kay said quietly. Ector nodded forlornly, staring into the flames. A glimmer of light shined in his eyes and Kay had to look pointedly away. He didn't remember much of his own mother, but the fact his father clearly loved another – and another such as the sorceress, in particular – felt like a betrayal. "What can I do?"

Ector turned his head slightly to face Kay and said, "Nothing. I don't think there is anything to do." He swallowed and looked back to the fire. "I think, it's about time I spoke with Balinor's son."

* * *

Merlin vaulted through the castle, despite his lack of energy to find Arthur. The last he'd seen the prince he had been in the Council Chambers, but now he should be in his room enjoying the breakfast he'd requested someone else take up for him.

Out of breath and with burning lungs, Merlin shoved the door to Arthur's chambers open and startled the eating prince. "_Mer_lin." Arthur snapped irritably. The paste Gaius had made was derived from the same beans Merlin had eaten the day before to get himself back to Camelot. Whilst those beans had kicked in irregularly and left him feeling giddy and jittery until they were out of his system, the paste had been concentrated and numbed the body into a relaxed state with just enough energy to get by.

Merlin was pushing it, but they had no time.

"Where have you been?" Arthur asked. "You left me there in the chambers with my father and the council."

"I went to confirm something… Where does Sir Kay live?"

Arthur glanced at Merlin then realised what he'd asked and turned his head to stare at him, this time with open curiosity. "Why do you want to know?"

"I need to talk to him." Merlin went on. "He lives with his father, yes?"

"Why do you want to know?" Arthur asked again, this time standing up and leaning over the table in a demanding way. "What _do you_ know?"

"Kitchen gossip." he lied and waved his hand. "I… Sir Ector." Merlin knew enough about Arthur's relationship with the disgraced knight to know the Prince wouldn't except any other title for the man. "He was apparently – back in the time before the purge mind you – in love with Nimueh." Arthur stiffened and started to turn red. "Apparently the feeling was mutual. Arthur, don't be mad."

But he had stopped listening. "Sir Ector is an honourable man." Arthur snapped, his fists clenching over the edge of the table. "He wouldn't fraternise with a sorceress or condone magic!"

Merlin's ears turned red and stomach coiled with fear as dreams of himself being licked by flames on a pyre remerged. Whenever he had such dreams, Arthur's face had looked just as it did now. Shrinking back into his seat, he watched as Arthur furiously pushed himself away from the table and started to pace. "And _who_ started these rumours?" he growled. "Who besmirched the name of a knight?"

After swallowing stiffly, Merlin shook his head. "I won't say."

"Why not?" Arthur snapped.

"Because you'll go out there and hurt them." Merlin said. Not that Arthur _could_ hurt the Great Dragon, but he'd certainly try. "It's just idle gossip. I thought it would be important. If Ector knows Nimueh, maybe he'd know a weakness of hers." He stood up and backed away from the door. "I'm sorry for bringing it up, sire."

Arthur glared at him. "You should be. Sometimes, you need to learn your place as a servant and nothing more, Merlin." he shouted and the deep shadows under his eyes signalled how tired he was and how the words were somewhat tied to his currently short fuse, but it still hurt.

"Of course, sire." Merlin bowed before he left Arthur alone. As he closed the door he heard the wine vase that had been sitting on the table slam into the door and flinched. Morgana had long ago warned him Sir Ector was a touchy subject for the prince, but he hadn't known it was to such an extent. Now that he knew, he felt lost and unsure of who to turn to next.

_Who would know where Kay was?_

_Morgana._

Maybe Arthur wouldn't speak about Ector, but he knew Morgana wouldn't be so blinded. Unable to run anymore, he went to where he had last seen the King's ward, taking care of the sleep deprived in the infirmary.

When he had come around from where his delirium had taken him, he remembered feeling her gently sliding water down his throat. "…Dream?" he mumbled.

She shook her head and smiled. "No. You're back in Camelot."

"Hmm." He had started staring blankly out at the world again and his memory wouldn't lace the strings of time together, and the next thing he knew he was in an aromatic bath and then, in bed and being forced to ingest that horrible paste.

As he reached Morgana's chambers, he saw the girl standing just at the doorway talking to a knight who was much taller than her and thin and lean. From behind, he couldn't see who it was but when Morgana caught his eye she blinked in surprise. "Well, he's here." she said and pointed at Merlin.

He started to frown but then the knight turned and saw Merlin standing there. "Kay?" he asked in surprise then blinked. "I mean, Sir Kay."

Kay's face split open into a smile. "I think, after saving my life, Kay is alright. Especially if Uther is around. Start disregarding my position in front of the King and he'll give you a medal."

"Speaking of." Morgana looked disappointed but then said, "You need to move, Kay. If Uther see's you." Kay simply nodded and reached out and hugged her. Merlin watched, a little jealous, as Morgana clutched him back.

When they finally pulled apart, Morgana turned to Merlin. "You and I need to talk later. You told me you'd explain the dream in the forest."

Merlin blushed and his eyes opened, clearly alarmed. "What dream?" he asked, feigning innocence.

"You promised Merlin. You may have been semi-unconscious, but you promised." she narrowed her eyes at him before disappearing into her room, shutting the door.

"I highly suggest you do as she says." Kay told Merlin was a small smile. "Doesn't bode well if you don't."

"You were looking for me?" Merlin asked, ignoring what Kay said. "Why?"

Kay looked around then nodded his head. "Not here. These walls have ears. Come." Kay swept his cloak up and nodded for Merlin to move under it.

"Why?" he asked again, now more suspicious.

"You're Arthur's personal manservant. I am the son of Ector. The two are forbidden to talk and in Camelot, shooting the messenger is a highly regarded act. In fact, there is a tournament in honour of it."

Understanding but not particularly pleased with the events, Merlin slid underneath Kay's cloak and stood closer to the knight so he could hide under the billowing fabric. If anyone paid close attention, they could see Merlin's boots hiding underneath the cloak and his head jutting out just from under his arm, but no one in Camelot was awake enough.

The two walked the long hallways out of the castle until they reached the courtyard. "I was looking for you too." he confessed. "Or at least, your father."

"Funny. It's my father who wishes to talk with you."

The knight didn't react to Merlin's show of surprise but forced him along until they were making their way out into the town. The houses closer to the citadel were far nicer than the ones near the bottom and Merlin knew they housed the nobles and knights who were too many to live in the castle.

Despite it being early morning, no one in the kingdom moved. No one could, too tired to rouse themselves from bed. The markets were closed and the streets silent. It felt like a ghost town.

At the front door of one of the shabbier houses, Kay pushed forward the wood and allowed Merlin in first before following. Merlin felt distinctly nervous all of a sudden, and his eyes flooded the small living room for an escape.

Just before he could eye the window to his right, a figure came out from the left, shifting his attentions.

Merlin had never met Sir Ector before but now that he saw him, he recognised him from around Camelot. He was often at the parties in the lower town, sitting on a barrel of ale and handing it out to all that passed with a laugh. He was around the king's age it seemed, his gruff beard and brown loosely curly hair streaked with grey. Laugh lines marred his face and his arms, though old, were solid and filled with muscle. _He must still train, _he thought.

"Merlin." Ector breathed and Merlin felt as though he was on display suddenly as the ex-knight let his gaze travel of the young warlock. He adjusted his neckerchief – the blue one Arthur bought him – and swallowed now unsure of what to say. He hadn't quite expected to be alone on his quest to find Ector and hadn't figured what to ask him yet.

It looked to Merlin like Ector was resisting something and finally, the older man waved to the dining table. "Sit. Please. Would you like something to drink?"

Unsure of how to react, Merlin found himself looking at Kay for advice. "He won't bite." Kay chuckled, forcing Merlin forward with a light push on his back.

Stumbling a little, Kay unused to his clumsiness, Merlin found himself a seat and then nodded as Ector placed a clay mug in front of him and poured in tea. "Special brew." he said. "Keeps you awake. I used to drink it before patrols with…" he trailed off and then forced a smile on his face. "With the other knights."

"Father used to be the Overseer the Knights." Kay said proudly. "Long before Frenwyn."

"Don't mock Frenwyn." Ector said, warning his son. "He is a good friend and a greater Overseer. He does not act nearly as rashly as I did."

Kay wore a bemused smile, but spoke no further. Instead, he sat back and nursed his mug between his fingers, waiting. Ector looked hesitant and unsure, something he usually wasn't. Finally he spurted out, "I heard you took down the Giant. By yourself." When Merlin reluctantly nodded Ector added, "If your mother knew, she'd panic. I highly suggest you never tell her, or your friend Will for that matter. She takes his letters and reads them whilst he is out."

Merlin's heart stuttered. "You speak to my mother?"

Ector nodded. "We were once very good friends. I was in Ealdor when you were born." he smiled sadly. "It's strange to see you so grown up."

"She's never spoken of you." Merlin said, more confused than before.

"She wouldn't." he said bitterly and when Merlin tilted his head to the side he added, "We had a falling out. A disagreement about where she should live. I didn't want her to leave Camelot, she wanted to be anywhere but here. But we still talk."

"It seems everyone knows my mother but I." Merlin looked into his cup and watched the brew swirl. He had asked his mother about her time in Camelot and all she had said was she was a young woman and her father moved there after his village was destroyed. When he passed, she left but she had made many friends.

When neither Merlin nor Ector decided to speak again, Kay sighed and leant forward on the table. "Merlin was looking for you too, Father." he said. "I suspect something important if he searched out Morgana first."

"I didn't." he said quickly. "Search Morgana first… I asked Arthur but he got mad at me."

"You were looking… for me?" Ector asked, a little stunned. Merlin watched the knight school his expression before asking, "Why?"

"I…" Merlin lost the words on his thick tongue. He forced himself to sip the tea and was amazed as a swirl of energy erupted in his veins and wrapped around his magic, soothing it. He jumped in surprise and then stared into the cup. The tea contained magic. "You…" he looked at Kay then back at Ector. "What is in this?"

"Rosehip." Merlin flinched as he saw straight through the lie. Firstly, the brew tasted nothing like rosehip. Merlin knew as Gaius had made him taste every ingredient he had –including the poisonous ones – so he could learn to detect them. Merlin tasted no poison but the fact magic bubbled underneath the liquid was concerning, especially with what Merlin want to talk to Ector about.

"You…" he said again and stared into the cup. He tilted his head to the side, considering it. After quickly biting back his fear he knew that to explain to Ector what he knew, he would have to trust him so took another sip of the tea. As though it was some sort of signal, Ector's face grew into a smile and Kay chuckled. When Merlin put the cup down again he felt as though he had woken up from a comfortable slumber. "Good tea." he commented.

"Like I said, special brew. My brother taught it to me." he said the last part sombrely.

Finally armed with enough courage, Merlin spoke. "There is a sleepless curse on the land. Kay told me about the legend of the demon and upon… further reading, I found the demon's name. Morpheus."

"That would be him." Ector said, as though he'd expected it. "Why search for me?"

"Well… Well, the sorceress who conjured this demon…" Merlin hesitated then locked eyes with the knight. The greens were flashing with a spark of excitement, daring Merlin to go on. "Her name was – is Nimueh and… and I heard, from palace gossip, that you and Nimueh…" He looked at Kay and wondered if that was where the magic came from. _Is Kay Nimueh's son?_

Reading his mind, Ector shook his head. "Kay is the son of myself and my wife, Julia. She passed not soon after Kay's third birthday from an illness in her liver. I never quite understood it. I didn't pay much attention when Gaius tried teaching me medicine."

"It's a constant trend amongst the knights." Merlin said, earning a chuckle from Kay.

"But, many years ago, I did love Nimueh." Ector sighed, leaning forward on his arms. "That is why I called you as soon as I realised it was her who brought this curse upon us."

"Why me?" Merlin asked.

Kay and Ector both exchanged wary looks. "I'd rather not confirm or deny anything that could have all of our heads should one of us be discovered. It's dangerous enough that you're here now."

He glanced down at the tea again and then back at Ector. _Did he have magic? _His heart thundered in his chest as he thought of the last man he'd told about his gifts and how he'd been betrayed. "My point is, you are the Prince's manservant and, from what I hear, a constant voice in his ear. I was going to tell you all of what you just told me and get you to pass it on to Arthur."

Merlin flushed. "He's not speaking to me right now."

"What happened?" Ector asked.

Kay smirked and waved his hand about lazily, "Let me guess. You suggested about my father and Nimueh and he bit your head off."

A little surprised by Kay's correct guess, he nodded. "Yes." Merlin twitched uncomfortably. "I was hoping that you could provide us with something else too. There is apparently one sword left that can kill a Giant and you know where it is."

Ector shook his head. "All the swords were destroyed by Vertigern."

"Except of course, his own." Merlin watched as Ector's eyes lit up then became downcast and angry.

He fidgeted and clenched his teeth together and clearly, he knew something Merlin did not, and by the flush of surprise on his face, neither did Kay. "The sword is lost." he finally said. "Gone."

"What do you mean?"

"It was given to someone… It was recast in Dragon's fire and redecorated. The helm was change, a new pommel bestowed upon it and then given to a new user as a gift. It was actually a gift sanctioned by Uther."

"Who has it?" Merlin asked, practically laying on the table he'd leant so far across it.

"My brother." Ector said carefully. "But… but he is either long dead or long lost. I'm not too sure. He was banished from Camelot and I haven't heard from him in years. He took his sword with him."

Hope died a little inside of Merlin and he stared at the table. "So there's no hope… the only way to stop the curse is to kill Mortgah and we have nothing to kill Mortgah with."

"What does Mortgah have to do with the curse?" Kay asked.

So Merlin explained. He explained the way the curse was bound to the Giant and how the only way to bring sleep back to Albion would be by killing him with the _Eoten Cwelland_. "And Nimueh will wait until we are all half dead to take off the spell." Ector said darkly. "And Uther killed all the dragons so there is no way to make another sword."

"What do dragons have to do with any of it?"

"An _Eoten Cwelland_ is just one of the many names for an Immortal Sword. A sword made in Dragon's breath." Before Ector could even finish his sentence, Merlin felt anger rile up in him like never before and found himself standing. "Where are you going?"

"There's somewhere I must go." he growled. "I'll return… I know where to get such a sword." He bolted out of the house before either Kay or Ector could follow him and went straight to Gwen's, not noticing the way the water in his cup was trembling at a steady rate.

* * *

The King of Camelot stared out the window, resting his head on the glass pane. "Sire?" Uther turned his head and saw Sir Walden standing there impeccably straight despite the thick black bags under his eyes. "The water sire." he said, pointing to the glass. Every few seconds the water trembled, the beat constant like measured footsteps. "Mortgah is coming."

Uther shifted his gaze to his goblet of wine and he saw the tremors. He looked back to the sleepless Camelot. "I know."

"There is no sign of Nimueh."

"There wouldn't be." he murmured, and Walden didn't hear.

The head of Uther's personal guard waited in silence for the next order but when it didn't come he prompted the king. "Sire?"

"Bring the draw bridge up. Order the guards doubled. We must not let him within the walls."

"But sire, he is a Giant." Walden reminded him. "He can easily smash through our walls."

"Do you have a better suggestion?" Uther snapped.

He didn't. Walden glanced out the window too, looking at the land he'd laid his life down for time and time again. The fact Mortgah was approaching meant his comrades, Arnold and Frenwyn had fallen. Despite his terse relationship with both of them since the Purge, he did remember the times they were brothers and mourned their loss. "Sire I… I think we evacuate Camelot."

Uther turned and glared at him harshly. "Leave our walls? Leave our city? Have you gone mad, Walden?"

"No sire. I merely suggest that the citizens should evacuate. Those who can be saved…"

"And where should they go? There is no safer city than Camelot. The walls are impenetrable."

It was true, though Walden wanted to point out it was all because of magic. There was no point in arguing though. Uther was the most stubborn man Walden knew. "You are, of course right milord. Sorry for disrespecting you. I shall have the bridge closed and the men set to guard the walls." He bowed and turned and left.

Just outside the door was Prince Arthur, looking grave. "Frenwyn…?" he asked.

Walden patted Arthur's arm and squeezed it. "He wouldn't want you to worry. In fact, he'd much rather you take Pellinore and Leon and the others and keep somewhere safe."

"I must fight…"

"You have no energy." Walden said sadly. "None of us do. That was the plan all along Arthur. That was all she wanted. For your father to give up."

* * *

"Dragon!" Merlin shouted out. "Dragon!" Holding tight the sword he requested from Gwen, Merlin glared up at the ceiling as fiercely as he could. He was slightly enraged that the Dragon would just so carelessly forget to mention that to make a _Eoten_ _Cwelland _wasn't the only way to kill a Giant… all one needed was an Immortal Sword and they were all forged by Dragon's breath.

With a great swooping gust of wind, the Dragon descended and perched itself up on his rock. "_That_ is not a _Eoten_ _Cwelland_…" The Dragon said, looking amused. "You have bee fooled."

"Yes I have," Merlin snapped. "By you. You can make a _Eoten_ _Cwelland_."

"I can but I won't." The Dragon snarled. "I refuse to make a sword of such power when there is one galavanting about in the kingdom."

"It isn't in the kingdom. The last owner of the sword was banished."

"Then find him!"

"We don't have time." Merlin raised the sword and glared at the Dragon. "This is the only way to save Camelot. To save Arthur and Morgana and Gwen… You can do this, but you just won't!"

"I won't for good reason." The Dragon growled. "Men have uprooted civilisations with such a sword. Destroyed _magic_ and the very fabric of reality with those swords. Do you think I would merely give one to a _child_?"

"It won't be for me, it'll be for Arthur." Merlin shouted. "I can't wield a sword and I know Arthur will go face Mortgah when he comes so I shall give him the sword to slay the Giant. Now do this for me."

"Everything comes at a price, Merlin." The Dragon warned him.

"I will pay it gladly." he almost fell to his knees to beg as the Dragon regarded him with a doubtful expression. "Please. It's Camelot's only hope and then what will become of my destiny?"

The Dragon wore a resigned look then bent forward. "But you must swear that only Arthur or yourself shall be allowed to wield this sword. If anyone else has hold of it they will be unstoppable."

"Fine. I promise. I swear. Just enchant the sword!" He held it out desperately and The Dragon sighed then pulled on his own magic, causing the sword to float in mid air.

Merlin watched with bated breath as the Dragon drew in air and released flames, transforming one into another in the depths of his throat and engulfing the sword in reds and yellows. It was the most wonder and beautiful thing Merlin had seen, as the flames burnt the sword brighter than ever before and emblazoned gold on its helm. The transformation was astonishing, the perfectly weighted blade looking nothing like it had seconds before. "Magnificent." he breathed as the sword was lowered in front of him.

Hesitantly he reached out to touch it, but feared it to be too hot but after an encouraging nod from the Dragon, he wrapped his fingers around the helm and only found cool metal. He turned his head up to the Dragon and smiled. "Thank you."

"Remember, young Warlock. That sword is for Arthur. Do not let it fall into the hands of the wrong person."

Merlin stared at the sword, fascinated by the engravings on the blade itself. "Don't worry… I won't." And the bells in the tower rang out, Merlin's eyes darting upwards and he realised what it meant.

Camelot was under attack.

* * *

**A/N: **Review, please and thanks AAND I'm taking requests for things to shove between massive time jumps as after next chapter there shall be one... Word of warning.

So... requests? NO SLASH, there will be a Mergana scene in chap31 (so save yourselves the hassle of asking) aaaaaaaand, I'm in love with you all.


	30. Arthur and the Giant Mortgah

**A/N: **Oh my... Oh my, oh my, oh my... There are only two days left of Merlin... I watched Part 1 and I was screaming the entire time at the television, begging it to not be true. Tears, my friends... and GWAINE! How could he not know by now that Merlin has magic? I thought Merlin would have just told him! Argh! **A maze thing, **lol... I wanted to add some humour before they argued. I know you love Ector. He's my favourite too along now with Kay, who originally, did not have such a big role in this story as he does now. Does it surprise everyone to know I know exactly how this all pans out? LoL, I kind of like how because Merlin is young, he can get away with a certain amount of things... Hope you went well in your exams. :) Read on. **Phantomxx **Thank you. Congrats on the account. :) **mrlnfan, **thank you so much. I'm glad you're enjoying _Letters of Camelot_ too... **Anon,** yes, you can ask. Arthur and Ector aren't allowed to talk. Merlin is Arthur's manservant and if Ector is seen communicating with him through Kay or anyone else, it could be dangerous for them all involved. I sort of hinted at it when I said, 'shooting the messenger is a tournament in Camelot' but obviously not well enough. And yes, I do love Dragonball Z, BUT the beans had nothing to do with that, or at least consciously they didn't. My little cousins goes spastic if he eats coffee beans but afterwards, he crashes horribly. Keep reading! :) **bubzchoc, **why thank you. **TN Sarah, **don't worry. No mimicking in that regards... Never liked Uther touching Excalibur... **High Serpent King, **I have plotlines interweaving with each other... You may have uncovered one of them. But it _is_ Excalibur... trust me on that. **Distressed Clover, **Thank you! I'm glad you found it such a good chapter. Your guess is spot on, except for the part in the brackets... The dagger is just a dagger that means a lot to Merlin. And I love Kay... He wasn't supposed to be as involved as he is but he sort of took over plotlines I hadn't realised were there. And... to answer your question... yes. :$ **skw,** awesome! I'm glad you like this story. Review through whatever means you can and I don't mind short reviews. Thanks! **lolello, **Thank you very much. Your next update is here.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Merlin, it wouldn't be ending... :(

* * *

**Arthur and the Giant Mortgah**

The air was still outside Arthur's window and he drew in a heady breath. His eyes focused around on the cobbled courtyard and he tried counting stones as a distraction. His father had ordered him inside, the Giant unable to break through the walls of the castle. As much as Arthur protested, Uther insisted Arthur remain inside, even snapping and calling him an insolent child.

That had stung. Arthur would be seventeen in a few more months and he was a knight of Camelot and the leader of his own contingent of guards. The age difference rarely bothered him when he glanced at the pride in his father's eyes but it was currently sorely lacking, masked by exhaustion and the frustration that more couldn't be done.

Most of the town had been brought into the castle with the exception of a few too haggard to move or be moved. In the far off distance, Arthur had spotted the trees falling and a glimpse of a head. He felt himself become sick at the thought that Frenwyn and Arnold were dead. Despite the fact he argued with the latter and always felt a cold indifference from him, he still hadn't wished him dead… except on the odd occasion when he side glanced Merlin with a scowl.

He closed his eyes and waited for the Giant to arrive. Guards were posted all around the courtyard, waiting. The men shook, their swords and armour too heavy of a burden along with the sleeplessness. Even from a distance, he could see their tremors and wanted to be down there with them.

_But could I fight him? Maybe my father's right… maybe I am just a child._ Tree's closer to the gates of Camelot started to fall and a resounding crash broke through all of Camelot. He ducked on instinct, though the attack was no where close, and when he looked back up there was the Giant.

Standing, he looked more imposing than before, but Arthur's room towered above him so it lessened the fright somewhat. The bells started tolling and Mortgah screamed and knocked down one of the houses closest to the gate and anger roiled through Arthur like a gathering storm.

_I'll kill him, _he mentally was a fighter, a soldier and a man of action. He watched as archers started their attack but Mortgah was wearing a plate of armour on his back, blocking his pressure points and the rest were bouncing off him like they were nothing. Restlessly, he moved away from one window and stalked to the other to get a different view as the Giant decided to destroy houses out of his eyesight.

From this new angle he could see the upper barracks too and spotted the empty ones that only looked out to the wall opposite from where Mortgah was approaching. No one was guarding that wall, too many people too tired to man it, but a large frown appeared on his face as he saw something moving.

His eyes narrowed as he recognised the brown jacket and raven hair and then widened in alarm when he saw what he was holding. Merlin was running around the barracks with a blood sword. He hit the wall to stop himself and leant over slightly as he peered out across Camelot to see the Giant. He looked around and then took off down on of the staircases that led into the lower town.

"What are you doing?" Arthur hissed, then grabbed his chainmail and tugged it on and pulled his sword out.

His knees were quivering uncontrollably and he could barely hold up his sword arm, but despite throwing the question out to the universe, Arthur knew what Merlin was doing. The same thing the idiot always did. Get himself into trouble that Arthur had to rescue him from.

There was no one guarding him, the soldiers needed elsewhere. Arthur wanted to hit himself thinking that his father's orders were one built on trust. With a roll of his eyes, he headed out of the castle and into the courtyard, running as fast as his legs would take him and sneaking out of the same barrack Merlin did.

He uprooted a spare torch from its scone as he passed it, the thin staircase dark with stonewalls on either side of him. It was about midway down did he notice the flames on the ground near the bottom of the stairs and he moved his own fire aside to get a better look but could only see something huddled in the shadows. As he reached the bottom of the staircase, he was expecting to find the locked door that would lead out to the lower town but rather, he found Merlin, sprawled out on the bottom knocked out.

At first he wondered how the hell he was knocked out if the curse didn't let people sleep but then remembered unconsciousness had something to do with the brain protecting itself.* Panic rose within him at the thought and he rushed down the last few steps of the stairwell and joined Merlin in the small room bellow, falling to his side and pulling him up onto his lap. "Merlin?" he hissed, tapping his cheek lightly then pressed his fingers to his neck.

It was a miracle. He had fallen with a torch and a sword in his hand and he hadn't killed himself, a pulse racing beneath Arthur's fingers. He shook his young manservant a little harder then felt the lump on the back of his head. "What were you doing here?" Arthur asked. There was a deafening crash followed by screams and debris falling around him and Arthur leant over Merlin and shielded his own head from it, becoming covered in grey cement.

Whilst the debris was still falling and he was hovered over Merlin, he tilted his head up and found the large bruise, half a hand from the top of his neck, where he'd hit it. He swore loudly at the vivid purple colouring and only arched back up when he was certain the place wasn't going to collapse over them.

He tugged Merlin up into his arms and whispered, "Come on. We need to get you to Gaius." But before he could fully stand, Merlin batted his eyes and came around.

He looked up blearily and noticed where he was and groaned, "Did we do it? Did we kill the giant?"

"No. You almost killed yourself on a set of stairs." he snapped, glaring angrily. "What do you think you're doing, running out while a giant is attacking the city?" To prove a point there were a collection of screams and shouts from overhead and more rubble fell down.

"Looking for you." Merlin tilted his head on Arthur's chest and closed his eyes. "The sword… kills Giants."

Arthur looked down at the sword Merlin had dropped in the fall and noticed for the first time its gold emblazing. "You found the _Eoten Cwelland_?"

"Sort of… I found… I found a Giant poison." he mumbled. "Coated it in it… Should… work…" His eyes started to flutter and Arthur noticed how oddly they were dialated.

"You have a concussion. Great." Arthur rolled his eyes at the slurred speech of his manservant. "What else?"

"Ector… Ector and Kay are waiting for… for me…"

The words brought as much fear to the prince as Merlin at the bottom of the stairwell had. He dragged Merlin closer and asked, "Why?"

"Told them I'd be back… Ector _is_ a good man." Merlin opened his eyes again and winced, "I think I can walk."

The Prince was reluctant to put him down in case he hurt himself again and accidentally tightened his grip instead of loosening it at the thought. Merlin raised an eyebrow at it and Arthur grunted to reinstate his manliness as he put him down and cautioned a hand around his waist as he stumbled to gain his footing. "You always have to be an idiot, don't you." Arthur ranted.

Merlin ran his hands over his body as if to check everything was still there, then looked up at Arthur with a disbelieving frown. "I thought I was a servant who needed to learn their place."

Arthur flushed as he reflected back to yelling at Merlin and, judging by what he'd said and the look in his eyes, he had been right about Ector and Nimueh, though Arthur didn't want to think about it. "Yes, well, whilst that's very true, you're also an idiot and I really have no time to train a new manservant because you've had a fatal run in with a staircase." He narrowed his eyes and forced Merlin to see that was the closest thing to an apology that he was going to get out of him.

"You're such a prat." Merlin breathed, shaking his head but then regretting it a moment later when he stumbled and only had Arthur there to steady him. He looked up at Arthur and tried to convey _you're forgiven, _and the Prince slumped with relief. Merlin tried to bend down to pick up the _Eoten Cwelland,_ but Arthur got to it first and gave Merlin his own sword to defend himself with. "Come on. Let's go."

"Where?"

"To Ector's house, of course." Arthur rolled his eyes. "Honestly, this is your idea isn't it?"

Merlin made a face and stumbled, Arthur steadying him with a hand under his elbow, "My head really hurts. For all I know right now, this idea could be something I imagined."

"Then you can wait it out at Ector's. Come on. I'm not letting you go back up those stairs alone and I need to be other places with a Giant on the loose."

With a nod, Merlin let Arthur break open the lock on the door with his heel so the door crashed open and hit the wall with a slam as his forceful kick struck home. "How did you expect to open the locked door?" Arthur asked, curiously.

After a moment of fishing around in his pockets, Merlin withdrew a key. "Took it off a guard."

"And you didn't say anything _before_ I almost broke my leg?"

* * *

Kay paced up and down his childhood home nervously as his father sat at the dining table, his hands clasped together. They heard another roar and more shouts and Kay tensed his hand around his sword as the distinct sound of men falling to the ground and being crushed reached his ears. "I need to go." he said, going to the door.

"Kay." Ector stood and grabbed his son's shoulders, pulling him back. "Merlin will come through. Believe me."

"Father's he's a child." Kay yanked away from Ector. "I know you want to believe in him but he's been gone for almost an hour. He's thirteen. Maybe he's not like he's father or maybe he is an he is too young and too scared, but I'm neither and I can fight."

Ector's face grew serious and he was about to shout, but the door flew open and in the doorway was Arthur and Merlin, the younger leaning heavily on his master. "What happened?"

Merlin waved his hand. "Hazard of being me? I fell."

"Down a flight of stairs." Arthur added with false cheer.

Ignoring him Merlin asked, "Do you still have that… tea? We both need it."

After shooting Kay a look to assure he wouldn't move from where he stood, he went to the fire and brought Arthur and Merlin two goblets. Kay also brought out the paste that Gaius had made and handed it over reluctantly. As his hand touched Arthur's a shock ran through him and his eyes landed on the sword in Arthur's free hand.

Kay was magical by no means, but he was attuned to it and could sense it. He turned and studied the sword, the way it was engraved and blazed with a fire that wasn't there. "What's that?" he breathed and though he asked Arthur, his eyes locked with the young Merlin's.

"It's a sword drenched in Giants poison." Merlin said slowly, looking at and trying to discern something. Kay could tell. Merlin knew there was something abut Ector and Kay and knew it had to do with magic but couldn't place it.

He raised an eyebrow and his lip curled. "One of Gaius's creations?"

"Something I read." Merlin countered.

"Look, we have no time." Arthur slicked the paste across his tongue and gagged before handing it to Merlin. He winced before he reluctantly did the same then both of them downed Ector's tea.

Merlin shivered with an anxious delight and Kay knew he felt the magic spread through him. It was the same thing that Arthur could feel only he didn't understand what he was feeling and couldn't respect it. "That tastes amazing." Arthur said as he put the cup down. "Ector, if you can make all brews taste that good, Gaius'll be out of a job."

"Lucky it's the only thing I know how to make." The three younger boys looked and saw Ector standing there with chainmail and a sword. "Let's go kill us a Giant, shall we?" He twisted his sword his hand and Kay smirked, recognising his father's and Arthur's favourite move.

Then he realised what it meant. "Father, you're not coming with us."

"Of course I'm coming with you." Ector scoffed. "If you haven't noticed, you're a first year knight, Arthur is still a squire's age and Merlin is the only one of you three that's taken down a Giant and that's either really impressive for you two or very sad." He beamed. "Giant killing needs adult supervision."

"How would you know?" Arthur countered.

"I'm one of the men who bound Mortgah and watched as the Giants invaded Camelot… my father had killed a few. In my time, I rode dragons."

"And you haven't seen a training field in my time." Kay countered easily. "Father–"

"This is not debatable." Ector knocked Arthur's sword out of his hand and caught it above their heads. "Now I carry the magic sword and if you don't move, I'll let the Giant destroy Camelot. Option boys, options."

There was a crash that shook the earth and they all bent their knees to steady themselves and looked between themselves warily. "We don't have time for this." Merlin argued. "Ector should come. He knows what he's doing."

Arthur and Kay both looked doubtful but Ector had the proudest look on his face and it was hard to not smile when he was beaming like that. He ruffled Merlin's hair and hugged him under one arm. "That's the spirit."

Kay watched his father and thought it was nice to see such joy in him. Not to say his father was a sad man. His father was cheerful and kind and loving to all. But he'd seen it over his years, a blankness in his green eyes. It was the sadness of losing your family and knowing you were the only one left that Kay saw in Ector's eyes and with Merlin's presence he saw it return. _You should tell him, Old Man…_ Kay thought to himself but was snapped out of thoughts as the other three left the confines of his childhood home and went out into the street.

Kay followed not soon after, resting shoulder to shoulder with Arthur. "You ready, little brother?" Kay teased as the four of them saw the back of the Giant.

Arthur turned his head to Kay, a large grin on his face and nodded, "More than you know."

"First thing we do is get him out of the city." Ector commanded, sounding more like the Overseer than his father. The armour in question was the one that wrapped around Mortgah's back. The Giant looked much the same, though as he shook his head, Merlin saw one of his eyes sealed shut, courtesy of Sir Arnold. "Merlin, how did you do you get him to chase you?"

Merlin bit his lip then shot them a wary look. "Wait here." He bolted forward before any of them could shout at him and Arthur ground his teeth together.

"He'll get himself killed."

"Have faith in him." Ector smirked. "He's a lot like his grandfather too, it seems." Before Arthur could even question it, Merlin started screaming with a warrior cry and lunging at Mortgah's feet. They all stared, slightly open mouth as Merlin rammed the sword into the Giant's heel with the effect a mosquito would have on Kay.

It drew a droplet of blood in comparison to the size of Mortgah and got him to look down at his feet. "You!" he growled and he tried to stomp on Merlin.

Merlin barely dodged the large foot, diving aside and covering his head with his hands, having lost his sword to the thick calloused skin of Mortgah's feet. "Run!" Merlin shouted but Ector was having none of it as Mortgah reached down to pick him up.

"Protect Arthur." Ector ordered Kay then he ran across the distance of cobbled steps and towards the large gate just before the castle that Mortgah was trying to smash through. He lifted Merlin up just as Kay came to his senses and turned Arthur around, shoving him. "Come on."

Mortgah followed Merlin more so than the other three, his blind rage clouding his every thought of destroying Camelot and wanting to enact revenge for what Merlin did to him.

Merlin diligently followed as Ector weaved through houses and ducked in and out of obstacles that would leave Mortgah confused and Kay took Arthur on a similar route, houses and markets being destroyed by the Giant as they went. He reached out and grabbed Arthur by the scruff of his neck at one stage and dragged him off into a back street, twisting through another set of houses and running that way. "Where are we going?" Arthur hissed.

"Mortgah's following Merlin and Father. We need to get to the clearing just outside quicker and I know a way." Arthur frowned as Kay yanked him along, dragging him through a bunch of backstreets until they were near a house with a very low window. Kay climbed it with ease, having done such things for years. Arthur jumped but missed the first ledge for being to short, but before he could land, Kay grabbed his arm and hauled him up the extra inch.

"You alright?" Kay asked as Arthur fell beside the older knight.

"Fine. Let's go." Arthur kicked himself up and stood and together they bolted across rooftops and straight to the outer wall of Camelot.

They both kept shooting looks back and saw Merlin and Ector were both relatively fine and nearing the gap in the wall that the Giant had created.

Ector turned to Merlin. "How did you remove his armour the last time?" he shouted between pants. At first the young Warlock didn't reply. He kept running, unsure of whether or not he could tell Ector about his magic properly or how he would even begin to lie.

But then Ector touched his shoulder and yanked him away from underneath Mortgah's foot and hissed, "If it was with magic, then it's alright. I don't see magic the way the rest of Camelot does."

Merlin yelped then shoved himself and Ector into a building as Mortgah reached down to pick them up. He couldn't help but wonder if they were just like rats to the Giant, scurrying around always just out of his grasp. _But if we're rats, where are the traps?_ He didn't have enough time to ponder this as the roof of the house was ripped off and Ector pushed him back out and swerved between the Giants legs, confusing him even more.

They just reached outside the wall of Camelot and Merlin turned to see knights and soldiers had followed them down. Mortgah turned his head and saw them a league ahead and shouted angrily before giving into the chase. Ector held Merlin's arm as he tugged him along into a clearing where Arthur and Kay were already and the two started rounding on the Giant to distract him from Merlin. Ector kept running with Merlin into a denser part where there were more trees and knelt down so he was looking up at him. "Can you climb trees, Merlin?" Ector asked.

Merlin nodded. He climbed trees all the time, especially with Morgana and Gwen when they had free time to do as they pleased. Back in Ealdor, all he and Will had done was climb whatever they could. "Climb this tree. Get into the thickest parts of it so you can't be seen. Then get the armour removed."

"But…"

"I trust you." Ector squeezed Merlin's arms and the young Warlock could see it in the older man's bright green eyes. There was an undiscernible amount of trust and belief there and also, oddly, love.

_He knows my mother…_ He was suddenly struck with a strange and scary thought and reeled back. _He was in Ealdor around the time of my birth… my mother lived in Camelot. Ector wanted her to stay but she wanted to leave, probably because of my magic… What if…?_ Merlin felt himself clamp up as he wondered if this was his father. Arthur said he'd have to be a noble of some sort to own such a fine weapon. Weren't all knights in Camelot descendants of lordships?

His heart skipped happily for a moment and the prospect of having a father and he looked up at Ector hopefully. To be the son of a knight, especially one so revered. "You are a great and powerful sorcerer, Merlin. A Warlock, if I'm correct and one day you and Arthur are going to build up Albion together and people will be bowing to you." Ector shook his shoulders. "But for now, you need to do this for all of us and listen to what I say. Please, can you do that?"

Merlin smiled, a little dazed from a lack of sleep, the strange energy fortifying potion and his concussion. "Okay." he nodded eagerly and started climbing as soon as he turned, only looking down once to see Ector giving him a reassuring smile.

"Good luck Emrys." he heard Ector say quietly, though he was fairly certain he wasn't supposed to.

He perched up in the highest branch he could and started casting spells that made Mortgah's armour unbuckle.

Meanwhile, Arthur, Kay and the contingent of knights and guards who came down after the Giant, all attacked him around his feet, archers aiming high and swordsmen attacking the feet the were constantly trying to squash them. "Arthur!" the young Prince turned and was grabbed by the shoulders by Ector. "Order the men to attack his blind side."

Arthur nodded and yelled out the order even as Ector was tugging him back. "Now come. You and I are going to bring him down."

"How?" Arthur had stabbed the Giant's foot with Merlin's so called 'poisoned' sword a dozen times and, apart from bloodying his toes, it had done nothing. "A Giant's heart is in the centre of his back, guarded by a thick sheet of cartilage."

"One, two and three." Arthur whispered the words Merlin had inscribed on his mind. "But the armour…" By some miracle, just as he spoke, the armour fell away with an almighty crash.

"Come on." Ector dragged him away, both of them going unnoticed by Kay who had taken over ordering the men and was developing a plan of his own to keep the Giant distracted.

Mortgah spun and spotted Arthur and suddenly remembered his own commands. To bring down Camelot by removing Arthur from it. "The Prince." he boomed and leant down to grab Arthur. Everyone turned to Arthur but Kay and Ector were the closest. Kay dove and shoved Arthur down, landing on top of him but Mortgah's fist was still flying forward and clasped around Ector instead.

"Ector!" Arthur yelled as the ex-knight was dragged into the Giant's big fist just as Kay looked up to realise his mistake.

"Father!" he shouted and tried pushing off Arthur but fell forward and had to try to get up again, Arthur assisting in getting both of them vertical once more.

From his place up in the treetops, Merlin watched in horror and threw his hand out, not thinking. "_Astrice!_" he shouted and all he succeeded in doing was forcing Mortgah's fist back violently, but it didn't even faze him. He looked around, desperate to find something else then looked down at Arthur's sword in his hand.

Mortgah squeezed his fist and Ector shouted, every bone in his body breaking one by one. Kay shouted something but Arthur couldn't hear it through the pounding in his ears. He looked around desperately for some sort of way to save the man he'd affectionately called 'Uncle' for how many years as he was being moved towards the Giants mouth. _No, no… I can't watch this! _But he couldn't tear his eyes away.

Before he could flinch, the sound of a blade sounding over the wind pierced the sky and it was quickly followed by Mortgah's loud roar. The Giant started to fall to his knees and everyone rushed out of the way, a sword embedded into the top of his neck, coming from the treetops.

Arthur didn't have time to look at who had thrown said sword and took his chance and leapt up on the back of the Giant's calf, rushing over the beast as he fell forward. Kay wasn't too far behind him, his own sword in hand and they leapt and climbed even as Mortgah fell until they were running over bare skin.

Kay reached his own mark first and swung the sword his father had given him down and embedded it deep into the small of Mortgah's back. They both felt the lurch underneath them but Arthur didn't break his stride, lunging for the centre piece and ploughing his sword into its mark.

A shuddering clear light escaped from the skin as Arthur shoved the sword as deep into the thick flesh as he could, and felt the shuddering heart beat beneath the tip. He twisted it with an almighty yell and the beating stopped altogether, Mortgah's one eye staring out blindly as the sword Merlin commissioned him finished the deed.

He slumped forward on the hilt, hands pressed over each other and Arthur breathed a sigh of relief. His entire body throbbed with only adrenaline and blood. "Father!" he looked up and saw Kay slipping down the Giant's blood slicked back and onto the earth ungracefully. Turning his head, he saw Ector trapped beneath Mortgah's lifeless fingers and many soldiers and Merlin trying to lift the hand off.

Swallowing back all his fear, Arthur pushed himself up off his knees and followed Kay's descent more shakily, reaching his old mentor just as Kay and Merlin both dragged him out from underneath the Giant's hand.

He was shaking, looking horribly weak. With Kay's help, Merlin got him out of his chainmail and shirt and quickly ran a hand over his ribs, counting under his breath every time he touched a broken one. Arthur was quite sure he didn't even know people had the number of ribs Merlin was reaching, but then realised he wasn't counting the ribs but the breaks.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked and his manservant knew what he was asking before the words even came from his mouth. Raising a hand to his mouth and falling back off his knees, Merlin shook his head.

Kay's pants were coming out short and sharp as he tried not to cry. "Father? Father… we need to get him to Gaius." There was a horrible dark red spreading across the ex-knights chest and rippling down into the skin under his stomach. "Arthur help me!" Kay hissed through gritted teeth.

"No…" the three looked down at the whispered that they could have oh-so easily missed had they not been hoping to hear it once more. "I'm… not long…" Ector murmured, opening his eyes. He tried moving his arm but everything was paralysed, a break somewhere in the spine. "Kay… you'll be… fine."

"Father?" Kay reached down and grabbed his hand in his stead. "Don't leave… don't leave me."

"Love you…" he turned his head to Arthur. "You… too." Arthur winced and turned his head away, stifling his tears by staring at the ground. "Merlin?" Merlin clambered over quickly, looking him up and down. He knew very little healing magic. He was willing to heal Ector in front of everyone, but he just didn't know a good enough spell. Ector seemed to read his mind and shook his head. "Don't… waste… it… Take… care… of… them."

Merlin shook his head, "I… Are you…?" Merlin broke off and took Ector's hand a squeezed it. "You knew my mother?" he faltered off. So far, Ector had known everything he was thinking and hoped he could do it one last time.

"No… I knew… your… father…" he mumbled, clearly losing his fight to stay alive. "But… love… you… all… the… same. Kay?" he breathed and his son appeared in his vision once more. A flicker of a smile started to appear on Ector's lips and that was all.

His already limp hand didn't even shift in Merlin's grip but his eyes did roll back as it all ended. Kay groaned and leant on Ector's chest, grabbing either side of his father and holding on tight. Arthur rubbed his face and turned his back completely to the scene whilst Merlin sat there stunned.

* * *

No one disturbed their silent mourning as many others were holding their own vigils by dead comrades. Rather, they waited until it a spare guard came down from Camelot to help them collect their dead, Arthur telling them to be certain Ector received all the honours of a knight during his preparations.

The son of the dead man could barely stand and Pellinore, who had been fighting alongside them all, had come and collected Kay and promised to get him to his rooms. Merlin spotted Elyan, without armour and leaning heavily on his sword, helping Leon to his rooms – or maybe being helped by Leon, it was actually hard to tell.

Merlin and Arthur were doing something similar, though they nearly collapsed when Merlin's body tried giving into the sleep his concussion so furiously wanted him to have. "I need to help… Gaius." Merlin argued as Arthur ranted on about him sleeping. "Wounded… there'll be wounded."

"I'm taking you to your chambers." Arthur argued. The sword that had killed the Giant was now being used as a staff to hold them up. "Let's… just… go." he grumbled, not thinking of anything else but a bed.

Gaius's chambers were filled to the brim with sleeping patients, including the man himself, arms sprawled out over his table and face pressed into a book. All of Camelot who hadn't been on the back end of an adrenaline rush had promptly fallen asleep as soon as the curse had been lifted. Arthur had organised guard to search the area for Nimueh and make sure she didn't take the lack of Camelot defences to her advantage in a roster so they wouldn't all succumb to exhaustion at once before promptly leaving before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

They walked up the steps to Merlin's chambers and Arthur dropped him onto the floor. "Hey!" Merlin yelped, and then cried indignantly as Arthur fell on the bed. "You have your own bed. That's mine." Merlin cried – though later he would say he had 'argued' and that there definitely hadn't been a whimper in his voice.

"I won't make it." Arthur mumbled, shoving his head into the pillow.

Merlin knelt beside the bed and pushed at Arthur's armoured back. "You'll break my bed… Arthur… move…" he moaned and tried shoving the heavy prince. When he didn't move, he started hitting him but gave up after Arthur blindly shoved a hand in his face to push him away. He fell back on his arse but then flung himself up so he was draped over Arthur's middle. "I'm cold, though… And the floor's hard… And you've got chainmail on… And my head hurts."

Arthur grunted then sleepily tried removing his chainmail but Merlin was on top of him and he hadn't opened his eyes so failed completely and gave up. "Just… until… small nap." But he did pass Merlin the pillow and the spare blanket, not really caring that the room was an icehouse compared to the rest of Camelot. He didn't mind it so much on account of his sweaty fever flushed skin and he simply used his arms for a pillow, too tired to worry.

"You're such a prat." Merlin threw the pillow on the ground and fell on his face into it, dragging the blanket over his head and started drifting. "Wait… should I sleep with such a big lump on my head?" But all he received in response was a snore and a few second later he drifted off, regardless of the dangers.

* * *

"No!" Nimueh screamed, watching from her scrying bowl.

Morgause looked up from where she was watching her son and then placed the unruly child on her hip and stalked over. "What?" she demanded. "What happened?"

"That idiot!" she shouted, striking at the water. She pulled back and pressed her hands into her eyes. "Gods, I didn't know…"

"Didn't know what? What is it, my lady?" Morgause put the child down and reached forward, grasping her mistress's wrists.

Nimueh turned her head sharply to the side and tilted her head back, tears falling from her eyes. "I killed him…" she hissed. "I killed Ector…"

Having no idea who Ector was, Morgause just shook her head. "I don't understand…"

"My love…" she fell forward and Morgause only barely caught the woman who looked her own age but was a little over two decades older. "I didn't know… I didn't…"

Shifting her lady slightly, Morgause looked into the bowl herself and saw the half destroyed Camelot in the waters, the King fast asleep and some man was dead with the Prince, his manservant a knight mourning his loss. She could only suspect that this was Ector but rather than show sympathy, Morgause became enraged. "My lady, Camelot is weakened. More or less destroyed. If we are to take control, now would be the time!"

Whether it was madness or a moment of clarity in her mind, Nimueh shook her head. "No… Not… I have something I must do first."

"More important than taking Camelot back from Uther?" Morgause hissed, enraged. "You said it was my son's fate to take the throne and kill Arthur. You said he was the rightful king."

"He is…" she murmured, pushing herself away. "But not now. I have more important things…"

"No!" Morgause yelled, throwing Nimueh away. The high priestess fell to the ground and looked up, surprised at her apprentice's actions. "Do you not understand? You said it was time. I have waited almost a year for you to act and now that your plan succeeded you will not go through with the last actions."

"There are more important things, Morgause." Nimueh snapped, pushing herself up into a stand. "Or do you not understand honour and family?"

"Family?" she scoffed. "I was torn from mine and now that I can find retribution, you say we must bow down to honour?"

"I will hear no more of this." Nimueh gathered herself and started to collect her travelling things.

"No, you shall not." Morgause shouted. "I'm leaving. By myself. You can keep the child and your prophecies… I only had him because you claimed I would carry a saviour for our ilk but seeing as you don't seem to care!" She threw her hands up into the air and a storm started around her. "Well your saviour needs to be fed." And with that, Morgause disappeared.

Shocked Nimueh turned to where the now four year old was staring at her, confused. "Mumma." he called out and then he screamed, causing the high priestess to double over and block her ears.

Quickly, she silenced him with magic then dragged him into her arms. "Come now, Mordred." she stroked his hair and calmed him with the light touch of her fingers. "I must go tell Balinor that his brother is dead."

* * *

The whole of Camelot slept fitfully for an entire day.

The peace wasn't disturbed and no one came to attack, something that surprised the King and all his council but whilst they did investigate the lack of disturbance, everyone was pleased with the turn of events.

When Arthur and – in some sort of weird form of torture, he was sure – Merlin were forced, half-awake, to attend the council meeting, they were surprised to see Frenwyn and Arnold there, the latter looking more annoyed to be alive than Merlin would have thought. "How did you two manage?"

Frenwyn smirked and looked at Merlin. "I thought we were to die from exhaustion but remembered Merlin mentioning the caves tunnels. I set Arnold up in one and crawled into another and when the curse was broken, we slept until we had enough energy to come back. I heard you killed a Giant, sire."

Arthur smiled grimly. "Not quick enough, though."

The other knights who had departed to find survivors from the southern village, also came back with said survivors and Rowan and Emmet were reunited with their father. The man was young but with bright white hair and looked at Merlin and Arthur as he approached, smiling. "Thank you." he said, sincerely.

"You are quite welcome, Iseldir." Arthur replied, smiling at the man.

The day after the kingdom woke, the dead were burnt or buried, depending on rank. Arthur attended all the funerals, with Merlin dutifully by his side, but was only deeply affected by one.

Uther and his son barely looked at each other as Ector was placed onto a pyre and the kindling lit up. They stood shoulder to shoulder on the balcony, the only acknowledgement that they gave each other that they both felt a loss was the flinch they felt from the other when the torch touched the wood.

Merlin stood a few paces behind him, his eyes orange as he stared at the fire. Kay was in the ranks of men far below the balcony, standing between Leon and Pellinore, both of whom held him up by either shoulder with a clasped hand. Morgana was amongst the people with Gwen and Gaius, and crying fitfully into her maids shoulder, alarmed by the loss of such a man.

Merlin had written to his mother about Ector, begging to know about him and why he was at his birth. During the funeral, he had no idea, but when he got the reply days later he felt himself shudder.

_Sir Ector was a good friend whilst I was in Camelot and became something like a brother to me. Because I was unwed at your birth and he felt responsible for my wellbeing, he offered to marry me and bring both of us to Camelot. For your safety, I could not but, when I fell ill, he took care of you. You were barely a few months old. He loved you deeply and like one of his own. I'm deeply saddened to hear of his passing and send my well wishes to Kay._

It was the only explanation she would give him and it only served to infuriate him more, desperate to understand why she wouldn't tell him about her times in Camelot.

"You're giving him his last rites as knight." Arthur finally said, and Merlin's head snapped to attention, going unnoticed by the King and Prince. Arthur was visibly tense and had emotions Merlin had never seen before on the prince running over his face, despair and heartbreak being two of them. "Why?"

"He was a Knight of Camelot and one of the few who were my guard when I won the war." Uther straightened his back. "He also saved your life."

Arthur cleared his throat and didn't move his eyes from the pyre, letting his nose crinkle up as he ignored the scent of burning flesh. "What did he do? What did he do that was so bad apart from raise your son and ward and Pellinore and Kay and even Leon…" He broke off and then cleared his throat once again and Merlin realised it was his tactic to stop himself from tearing up. "Sir Ector was the finest of knights yet you disgraced him."

"He said something." Uther finally managed and turned his head to look at Arthur. "Something unforgiveable."

"What–"

"Something in regards to my marriage to your mother… He suggested I didn't love her." Uther looked back to the pyre and his teeth gritted together. "What was worse, he suggested she didn't love me and claimed her death was through no fault of magic but one of my own."

Shaking his head, Arthur asked, "But why would he do that?"

Uther didn't reply, but instead watched the last of the coiling smoke reach the heavens, and despite barely knowing him, Merlin found himself hoping that Ector reached the heavens too and that no one would ever find the sword he'd hidden so well under the slacks of his bed.

On the other side of the court yard, amongst the people, an unrecognisable man was trying desperately to ignore the silent tears streaming down his face as he watched his brothers funeral. Once the body had burnt and he watched his nephew being led away from the scene, back into the safety of his friends, he turned and he left.

* * *

*Truth. Unconsciousness isn't a form of sleep. It is actually the brain needing to take a time out… in layman's terms.

**A/N: **In case I don't get to post, Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays to everyone and I hope you all enjoy the series finale of Merlin and I'm glad that it created such a cool little community.

Seasons Greetings,

ithoughtslashmeanthorror

P.S. How ironic would it be if Leon, _Le Immortal Knight_, actually died after all this time of surviving everything? Sorry, I just kept thinking that whilst watching the episode...


	31. Stars and Sun

**A/N: **I'm possibly intoxicated and attempting to vacuum simultaneously. Moreover, I _hate_ vacuum cleaners... They can all go to hell so I've abandoned it so I can upload!

Will reply to reviews when I update tomorrow morning... sober... maybe... (the sober part, not the upload part) HAPPY NEW YEAR!

* * *

**Stars and Sun**

The eve of Elyan's eighteenth birthday, Merlin had been invited, along with Leon, Pellinore and a few of the young men of the lower town, to go to the tavern. Merlin was fourteen and hadn't drunk anything apart from the mead Gaius forced him to have in the winter and hadn't reacted to it well, but Pellinore had assured him he didn't have

When he asked Arthur for the evening off, the Prince had stared at him confused. "We're going to the tavern for Elyan's birthday and I said I'd go if I had the night off."

Arthur frowned, a little put out. Whilst he wasn't as close with Elyan as Leon and Pellinore were, he had thought they were friends. When Merlin saw the look of betrayal cross Arthur's face, Merlin was quick to fix it. "He didn't not invite you because he doesn't like you. It's because you're a Prince and you can't be seen drinking with a lot of those who Elyan is inviting. Really. A lot of the boys from the lower parts of town will be there."

With a small hum, Arthur let it go and gave Merlin the night off under one condition. "Take Kay. Lords knows he needs to get out."

Merlin agreed, if only because he couldn't stand watching the knight turn in so early every evening. Since the Giant had been slain almost four months previous, Kay and Merlin had chatted and occasionally, Kay would sit with him in the armoury and polish his own armour while Merlin polished Arthur's, the two sitting in relative silence.

Neither discussed the fact Kay knew about Merlin's magic nor did they talk about Ector, Kay flinching at the words 'father' and 'death'. As Arthur's ban on seeing Ector was no longer an issue, the Prince had asked that the knight was moved into his own group of trusted men, joining his patrol with Leon, Pellinore, Frenwyn, Samuel, Ramone, Garreth and Arthur himself and Uther agreed a few weeks later after seeing how drained Kay was looking.

So Merlin walked through Kay's door and bustled into his room, in a manner of which only could achieve, sifting through the older knights drawers and yanking out a shirt and a pair of trousers and threw it at him. "Get out of your armour. Wear that. I assume they're washed."

"What are you doing?" Kay asked, leaning back on the wall of his room and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Have you ever met Elyan? He's the son of the blacksmith." When Kay feebly raised his eyebrow and shook his head Merlin blabbered on, "Well it doesn't really matter. It's his birthday tomorrow and we're going out tonight to celebrate. Arthur said I could have the night off as long as you came with me."

"So I've been ordered to be an unpaid nursemaid?"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "If you want to look at it like that, I guess, but I can find many objections. One being tat I'm dragging _you_ out so I'm sort of your nursemaid for the evening."

Kay looked amused and sighed, yanking on his clothes. "Fine. But I'm actually only going to come to keep an eye on you. Only the gods know what mischief you could get up to drinking in the lower town."

"I'm not fussed about your reasons, as long as you get out." he confessed.

It didn't take too long for Kay to change and when he did, he looked oddly, normal. He rarely saw any of the knights outside of their armour and chainmail, Pellinore and Leon making an effort to wear theirs to every event and occasion, but Kay suddenly looked more like the young man he was, with a gruff beard, trousers and a plain shirt underneath a jerkin. "Huh. Who knew? The knights are actually human." He received a cuff over his ear for that remark and then was dragged out by the scruff of his collar to the lower town.

The next morning Leon, Pellinore, Kay and Merlin were going on Patrol with Arthur and the other knights so had to leave early, but in the meantime they had a good time with Elyan who was steadily getting drunker as the night wore on, each of his friends buying his a new round and more than fifteen friends in present. He hadn't even minded Kay's company and tried to pay for drinks for his new companion, but Kay pushed his money aside and slid his own coins across the table.

Kay had been very careful not to let Merlin drink anything alcoholic or let him stray from his or Leon's side, both knights a little more serious and less drunk than Pellinore or any of the others. Every now and then he would sip Merlin's drink to ensure his young companion hadn't snuck some beverage whilst he wasn't looking until finally, Merlin glared at him and said, "Get your own water." he snapped. "Really, there is a well full of it just outside."

Leon patted his shoulder, looking over the bar at Elyan but not going to near. "Merlin, you have to know that as the Prince's servant, you're susceptible to being poisoned, drugged or kidnapped for valuable information. Kay is merely doing his job as a knight and ensuring that your drink hasn't been tainted."

"Yeah." Kay said steadily, not wanting to know what he was really doing. "What he said."

Leon shot a confused look over Merlin's head but said nothing as the older knight just shrugged.

Elyan was ridiculously drunk, stumbling over nothing and unable to hold his head up straight as it toppled on either side of him. "I… I need to make an announcement!" he yelled over the squalor from his closest friends. One of the young men cheered and lifted Elyan up so he sitting on the bar and then he was helped up until he was standing. He hit his head on the ceiling then crouched down, rubbing his shaved head with a mumbled, "Ouch." then reopening his half-lidded eyes until they were wider than saucepans.

"Listen!" He called out to his companions. "Listen, listen, listen…" he knelt down so he was at a well adjusted height, over his friends heads but not hitting the ceiling and grinned lazily. "I'm leaving Camelot."

Everyone laughed, too drunk to understand but Merlin frowned with concern as Leon smirked nervously. "I'm going… going far away. Dunno where or… or what I'll do. _Hiccup_… But I _do_ know that I'll be doing what I'm supposed to be doing… Whatever that is. Camelot isn't right for me… I don't want to be a Blacksmith. It's not what I'm 'sposed to do… Not what I'm… _hiccup!_ Supposed to do. So tomorrow I'm leaving. Gone." He turned his head to Leon and said, "And you better look after Gwen and make sure no man worries her. Keep her safe, Leon. She's too special not to… Unlike me who's useless in helping father…" he tilted his head forward in shame, tilting dangerously before someone pushed him back and he rocked on his knees. He raised his overflowing tankard to the sky and said, "To good riddance!"

The men below him cheered and Merlin shot Leon a fretful look. "He's just drunk, right. He's not actually leaving Camelot."

But Leon looked momentarily distracted and got out from his chair, grabbing Elyan and dragging him aside to talk. He looked pointedly at Kay after a minute and Merlin saw him nod in his own general direction. Kay nodded in agreement then put his hand on Merlin's back and lightly guided him from his chair. "We have a two night patrol. I think it's best we head off, don't you?"

Merlin didn't even try to pretend he hadn't seen Leon shouting furiously at Elyan who just looked dismissive of everything that was yelled at him and shrugged it all off as though it meant nothing. _No. He can't go, _Merlin thought. _Gwen will be horrified._

Turning his head again, he saw Leon still laying into Elyan and all he could do was hope that the knight made the blacksmith's son see sense.

* * *

It had started violently on her fourteenth birthday.

Morgana had always had nightmares. Since she was a child, seeing things that weren't there in her dreams, of people that she'd never met or had yet to meet. Her father had woken with her for every single one of them and when he was off at war for Uther, she had Arthur and Kay and later, Gwen.

However it was her father, Goloris whom she missed the most. He'd reached his hands underneath her and bring her sobbing face up to his shoulder, gently rocking her back and forth and tell her that it was alright. That he would make the bad dreams go away with his fierce protection and, when he was by her side at night, he did.

Goloris's presence never failed to quell the extent of the dreams. In fact, when she felt her father near her and could sense his warmth and protection, she dreamt of pleasant things and pleasant people. She dreamt of love and beautiful things like a thousand butterflies taking flight around her while standing in an open field of blue and purple flowers.

In those dreams she was laughing or she saw Arthur laughing, but never did she see anything bad.

When her father passed, it was through a mix of potions that she deafened the cries of her dreams. Sometimes they were too powerful for even Gaius's brew and she'd wake up with vague memories of the dreams or the potions would only leave her gasping with a faint recollection of something horrible.

The worst part was when she saw the things her dreams come to life. Sometimes it would be with a flicker of light-headedness, as though she was reliving the moment rather than experiencing it for the first time. It was those times she knew she had dreamt and forgotten and that scared her.

Acknowledging that her dreams were somehow prophetic scared her and she rarely did so but this time…

She had turned fourteen and her dreams pulled at her and sobered her from the potion with their sheer ferocity. She was thrown forcefully into a dungeon, a wooden door slamming behind her. No screams escaped her throat, but she fell back into darkness and felt her leg being pulled from its socket.

The pain jolted her awake and Morgana was sitting up in her bed, panting heavily in the morning light.

The next time the dream struck her, it continued from where it left off and went into darkness and unconsciousness, leaving her head swimming momentarily before she re-emerged she was back in the dungeons, curled into a ball. Her back was alight, burning and throbbing with lashing and tears scrolled down her face. "Arthur?" her voice was not her own and scratched hoarsely with the echoes of screams. "Please…?"

The nightmares went on for months and Morgana was convinced she was the one at the hands of the torturers. Gaius increased the dose of her sleeping potion but sometimes her blood ran so quickly through her veins it wore off. "Please don't do this…" she felt herself whimper, but her appeals were cut off by a sharp kick to her ribs and she cried out.

On the day of Arthur's seventeenth birthday, Morgana couldn't fitfully remove herself from her bed, exhaustion and delirium forcing her to be confined to her chambers as she spat off ramblings, convinced she was living in her nightmares and her waking hours were the dream. Gwen and Gaius had calmed her but it was a visit from Arthur, where they both rested in her bed, stared at the ceiling and talked of nothing, which relaxed her to the point of exhaustion and that night she slept, thankfully, oblivious.

They were gone for a few days and she thought that would be it, happily prancing around Camelot once more and thinking she was free.

But a week later, they came back.

The worse of them were when they were empty. She was there, sitting in the dark, shivering from the cold and the exhaustion in her body, wheezing through cracked and splintered ribs and begging to die. Strange thoughts were running through her head and where she'd been begging for Arthur to come for her earlier, she was now praying he would never come.

She strangely saw herself in her minds eye and begged for it to be an illusion, not wanting her real self to see her in such a state. She thought of Gwen and, even stranger, that boy Will and a woman she'd never met, shaking her own head and mumbling something about never wanting to go back to Camelot and more about how she wished it would all end and that death would sweep down like an avenging angel and take her into his unforgiving and unbiased grasps.

Then she was yanked away from her body and standing over herself, only to find that it wasn't herself or her own body to begin with.

"Merlin!" the name had barely left her lips when she vaulted up in her bed and clutched the sheets in her fingers, squeezing them and feeling pathetic as she couldn't catch her own breath. "No." she choked and threw the covers off her in a hurry, clambering over her large bed until she almost fell over the edge. Her legs could barely carry her and she felt the ghost of pain in her left hip where she was quite certain Merlin had been injured in her dreams.

Every dream from the last few months had been of Merlin and she had been experience what he had yet to experience. Tears fell from her eyes and she didn't care or notice, running through the castle with her nightgown and the cloak she'd thrown on in her haste, flying freely behind her making her look like a ghost. He had returned from the patrol that evening and she had seen him slump out of Arthur's room, carrying his armour to have it polished but she was still uncertain.

Her heart pounded at the thought of Merlin being afraid in a dark dungeon somewhere, being tortured in the way her darkest imagining's created and she shivered fearfully, needing to be close to him and needing some sort of comfort.

Barging into Gaius's chambers wasn't an option though, so just outside the doors she calmed her erratic breathing and pressed her hand to her chest to force it to still. A tremor jolted through her as she remembered how Merlin had breathed whilst she was inside of his head, in her dreams, and it spurred her forward.

Quietly, she opened the door and stepped inside, leaving it open so she could easily sneak back out. After getting passed Gaius, she crept up the narrow stairs that led into Merlin's room and paused only briefly outside the door. _How improper will this look?_

_But then again, it is only Merlin._

She crept into his room and went to his bed, watching him sleep. He looked peaceful and content, his mouth opening slightly as he smacked his lips together and licked them. He was curled on one side, arm dangling over the edge and hair mused like he'd been running his fingers through it.

Morgana only _just_ stopped herself from running her fingers through his hair. She knelt down and reached her hand up, allowing her certainty to waver for a moment before leaning her finger forward and prodding him.

Merlin had no idea how long it had been since he had fallen asleep but as he was, rudely, poked awake he knew it wasn't long enough. He grunted and swiped the hand away, briefly allowing his eyes to open to notice it was the middle of the night. "Go away, Arthur. I'm not late…" he grumbled, turning over in his covers.

Morgana made a face. "I'm not Arthur." she whispered crossly but he was fast asleep again. She huffed and hised, "_Mer_lin." Then blinked as she _heard_ Arthur in her voice.

The Prince's manservant forced his eyes open, catching her green ones staring at him with his blue ones. She looked a little more than annoyed at having to wake him up twice but there was also slight amusement dancing in her eyes, in front of her desperation and fear. It was the last two emotions that got Merlin to sit up on his elbows. "Morgana?" he yawned and muffled the sound with his nightshirt. "Well, you might not look like Arthur, but you do sound like him."

With a small cry of ire, she punched him. "Ow! And you punch like him!" He was rubbing his arm, furiously whispering and hoping that he didn't bruise because he had training with Arthur and the knights in the morning and it would be even more painful should he have a massive bruise under his shield arm.

"Get up." she said, dragging on his hand and standing.

Now standing up in front of him, Merlin saw her fully under the moonlight for the first time and blushed. Between him and her skin was nothing but a thin silk nightdress under a velvet green cloak. She didn't seem to notice this but – despite all of Arthur's claims – Merlin wasn't blind. Morgana might have only been fourteen but she was more… developed, than most girls her age and Merlin was at an age where he was noticing these things more and more, much to Kay and Arthur's amusements, both constantly pestering Merlin about his non-existent girlfriend's.

"It's the middle of the night, Morgana." he insisted, trying to keep his eyes very firmly placed on hers. "Why am I awake?"

Morgana bit her lip and only then noticed the thin white nightshirt Merlin wore and the trousers he _always_ wore doubling as his night pants. He _had_ looked peaceful, nothing like the bruised and battered boy of her dreams and her heart skipped only slightly. "I… I can't sleep." she confessed. It wasn't the complete truth, but it wasn't a lie either and she found herself momentarily distracted seeing him look so stupidly serene.

"I ask again." he said slowly. "Why am _I_ awake?"

She read his underlying question. _Why did you come to me? _It could have been incredibly sweet or endearing but Morgana, being Morgana, found offence and glared at him. "Do you really want to leave a lady to walk around the palace on this dark and dangerous night?"

His insistent face to make her confess something that she wasn't completely comfortable with turned into one dripping with sarcasm. "I'm pretty sure I'll get into more trouble if I walk around with you dressed like that."

She looked down at herself then yanked her cloak around her closer. "Just… Come on." Thoroughly fed up, she grabbed his arm and pulled him out of bed and he yelped then grabbed his own tattered cloak and a spare blanket after Morgana's insistence.

It didn't take long for Merlin to realise that Morgana was dragging him to the tower that led up to the abandoned battlements. They were the abandoned battlements because the far-east wall had crumbled in a long ago battle by magic and was impossible to fix. It was dangerous for guards to be posted up there. _Which is probably why Morgana loves it,_ Merlin thought grimly.

It was a half-truth. Morgana _did _love the battlements because of the danger they contained and how every minute of her being there was forbidden and defying her guardian. There was a part of her that loved stirring Uther up and another part that thought it absolutely necessary. Uther, from what she had seen in her short fourteen years, had no conscience and it was important for Morgana to be that for him.

The battlements were simply a pure act of defiance.

They stood in the parapets, neither faring to far to the edge in case they fell and Morgana pulled Merlin sharply down to lay back on some of the more stable ground. "Not that your many death wishes don't fascinate me, but what are we doing up here in the cold instead of in our comfortable beds?" Merlin asked, the edge making him uneasy. Merlin didn't mind heights perse. Not as long there was a firm and stable wall between him and the ground, he didn't mind them at all.

The lack of enclosed space was unnerving him.

Morgana quietly took the blanket from him and threw it over both of them, their shoulder touching in the middle. "There. Better?"

Merlin shook his head and looked away from the edge and straight at Morgana, his eyes boring into her. "Not really. My bed was better." She frowned and tried turning away but Merlin caught chin and held her steady with a soft touch. "Why are we here, Morgana."

"Can't you just shut up and enjoy the moment?"

"Not really. Unlike you, I have work in the morning."

Morgana fell into a guilty silence, staring up at the stars. Merlin turned his head to the side and looked at her and saw the tears for the first time. Nervously, he traced his fingers down the tracks they'd left and didn't even bother asking permission. "Morgana? What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"I'm sorry for keeping you awake." she mumbled, trying to pull away but unable to, his gentle and steady force too much for her to resist. "Just didn't want to be alone."

"Why?" he repeated and Morgana flinched under his soft gaze and wondered why she hadn't thought all of this through. "What happened?"

Wearily Morgana turned on her side to face him and the warmth he'd previously had on his shoulder disappeared. He also turned on his side and watched her. "Would you leave Camelot? Leave and never come back?"

Merlin wasn't sure how to reply. His destiny and his fears of being discovered swirled through his mind. He sometimes yearned for home, in Ealdor though it had been almost two years since he had seen his home, his mother and Will. He couldn't explain it. Merlin knew Camelot was his home now, but it still didn't feel like the warmth of Ealdor. There was no safety inside of its cold walls, apart from the safety he felt around his friends. He couldn't practice magic freely until he was in his cold bedroom or the lonely room in the library. "I… I don't know. Camelot isn't Ealdor."

Morgana frowned and then sighed, resting on her back once more, disconnecting Merlin's fingers from her cheek. "I didn't see my father die. I was here. In Camelot, playing some game with Arthur when my nurse told me the king wanted to see me immediately. I didn't want to go. I was having too much fun with Arthur, even though I hated to admit it.

"He came with me but was told to wait outside Uther's chambers. Uther told me my father had been killed and I did not believe him. So I ran from his chambers, determined to run all the way home. However, I only made it to the courtyard before I saw the wagon bringing them in." Merlin watched her from above, her eyes swelling with tears. "I may not have seen my father die. But I did see my father dead."

Merlin quietly said, "I'm sorry."

"Why?" she scoffed, blinking back tears. She looked up at him and her brow furrowed. "You didn't kill him."

Merlin reached over and gently touched her shoulder. "No. But you shouldn't have had to see that. And it makes me feel sad for you. Sorry."

Morgana shook her head.

"I don't want pity."

"It's sympathy. It's different. And it's okay to have people who care for you." Merlin added the last part when he saw she was trying to object again. "Even if you don't necessarily want it, you do need it."

Morgana tilted her eyes back in her head to blink back the tears. "Well… Well what if I need you to never leave me?" Her dream emerged in the back of her mind and she could hear Merlin's mental pleas to never see her again.

He jumped in surprise, the cold stone seeping into his hack and causing him to shiver at the same time. "Um…"

"I have nightmares." she cut it. "All the time. Some days, when you don't see me it's because I'm in my room crying. Gaius says I should take his potion every night but I hate it. It doesn't work. Tonight I had a nightmare and you…" Morgana looked at his seriously, her voice trailing off, unable to finish her sentence. Tears now spilt down her face but they were silent and she didn't even realise them until they gathered at her neck. "You were lock in the dungeons and you wanted to die. You didn't want to come back to me or to Gwen or Arthur… You just wanted to die."

The repeated fact of Merlin just wanting to die, caused him to feel uneasy. Merlin felt something in the air tingle between them, warning him that there was something more to this than just a dream, but he couldn't pinpoint it and Morgana _knew_ it wasn't just a dream. She felt it burning inside of her like with the anticipation of déjà vu she knew she'd be experiencing. Merlin, instead of worrying, laid back down on his back and slid his hand into Morgana's. She sniffed and nudged closer, resting her head on his shoulder.

"It was just a nightmare." he told her gently, tucking her head under his chin and keeping her close. "I'm fine and definitely not in the dungeons."

Morgana cried quietly, "You don't believe me."

Merlin leant his head down and hesitated before kissing her forehead. She looked up in surprise and Merlin just smiled down at her. In her eyes he could see twinkling stars and that was how he got his idea. "Pick a star." he said, pointing to the sky.

Surprised, Morgana frowned and looked up. She concentrated on the sky then back to Merlin. "I don't understand."

"Just do it." he said, nudging her with his shoulder. Morgana sighed and then actually looked carefully, realising this decision would be important. That she couldn't just pick any star. It had to be the right star.

Her free hand stretched out beyond her - not willing to let go of Merlin's hand with her other in case he didn't take it again - and found the brightest star she could. "That one." she whispered.

Merlin nodded and then said. "Alright then. As long as that star is shining and burning bright, I'll be alive. Even if I leave Camelot. Even if your nightmare comes true. And when you look at that star I'll be thinking of you."

"Merlin, that's silly." she said, her mind boggling her imagination. "That star has nothing to do with any of this."

"Now it does." he promised her. "Trust me. I have another star with Will."

"Your friend?"

"Yeah. Him and I swapped secrets then promised on the star. As long as that star is burning, we haven't betrayed each other."

"Which star?" she asked, her eyes scrutinizing his pale yet completely honest face.

Merlin searched the sky then pointed off into the distance where one star burnt exceptionally bright but much father away from the skies of Camelot, causing Morgana to twist her head to the side. "That one, there. It's still alight which means neither of us have told the others secret. Just like we promised." he looked at her smugly.

Morgana frowned at him. "Do you promise me? That as long as that stars burning you'll be alive and try to come back to me?"

Merlin agreed. "I promise. Now you need to promise the same now on the same star."

"I'm never going to leave Camelot." Morgana pointed out.

"I didn't promise to come back to Camelot." he said quietly, staring at her intently.

Morgana seemed to realise what he'd promised and blushed. She reached up and pecked him on the cheek. "Alright. I promise. I'll always come back to you too." Merlin just smiled at her then turned his head back up to the stars, hoisting his free arm under his head as a pillow.

They laid there in a long silence staring up at the sky and while Morgana continued to stare at the star - their star - Merlin's fatigue crept up on him and he started to fall asleep. "You know, it's utter craziness." Morgana whispered. "To think a star will keep our promise."

"Nope. It's magic." he mumbled in his sleep.

"Magic is outlawed in Camelot."

His lips curled up and through half open eyes he said, "Then it'll be our secret." He nuzzled his face into her hair and his breathing evened out into sleep.

Morgana smiled. "Goodnight, Merlin." She hesitated then leant up and kissed him, tasting salt and chicken. The scrunched up her nose and giggled at the thought of Merlin tasting like chicken. She wrapped her arms around his chest and tucked her head under his chin and unconsciously, he reached his arm up around her and tightened it. "It's… it's strange, I know." she whispered. "But I think I love you."

In response, Merlin snored and Morgana had to resist the urge to slap him. Biting back the urge, she curled up into his side and tried to resist the urge to sleep, lest a nightmare strike her. But she did sleep and when she did she dreamt of nothing but love and happiness.

* * *

To say Arthur was unimpressed would be highly understating the obvious. It was almost noon and he had yet to find his manservant anywhere. Gaius had woken and told Arthur that Merlin had already left on his rounds to give out vials of potions and remedies before getting Arthur's breakfast, but when he'd seen the ancient Sir Aldwin, a knight who had been serving since Arthur's grandfather's time, he was shouting out wondering where his tincture was.

He went back to Gaius's chambers and the physician wasn't there so he looked in Merlin's room and found his armour was there, cleaned and polished but Merlin was not and his blankets were missing. He huffed, and collected his own armour and went back to his chambers to ready himself for training.

"Leon?" Arthur called out as he reached the field where Leon and Pellinore were already duelling. "Have you seen Merlin today?"

With a small shake of his head, Leon replied, "No sire. I would have assumed he was with you."

"He _should_ be with me but he's not."

Kay appeared out of nowhere and drawled, "Might I suggest you keep a better eye on him them."

Arthur nearly swung his sword over Kay's head but held himself back because it was more of the Kay that Arthur used to know, teasing him out of boredom with a sly grin that meant he intended nothing of it. "I saw Merlin last night." he added. "He was half asleep and heading down to the armoury."

"He wasn't in bed and my armour was in his room, clean and polished."

"Maybe he was returning the cleaning equipment and nodded off somewhere between." Pellinore tried.

"Honestly, he couldn't have gone too far." Kay started swinging his sword around deftly and Arthur unconsciously held his up at the ready as they circled each other. "There's no need to worry Arthur. You kept making him run around through out the entire patrol and carrying half the equipment even though he had a horse. It's a wonder he didn't pass out. Let the poor child sleep."

"He's my servant." Arthur grunted, then blasted forward with an attack, Kay easily gliding back and trapping Arthur's sword below his own. "It's his job."

"Doesn't mean he shouldn't get to rest." Kay said and Leon and Pellinore nodded in agreement.

Out numbered, three to one, Arthur yielded and once again, him and Kay locked blades, only this time Arthur came out on top and swirled Kay's sword around his own, momentarily disarming him, then rumbled with the authority of a Prince, "But if he's not in my chambers wiping sleep from his eyes after this training session, I have every right to throw him in the stocks."

Training finished and the knights and their prince parted ways. Dripping in sweat, he ordered a passing servant to have a bath made up for him in his chambers. Merlin may have been missing, but he wasn't the only servant in Camelot. He was merely the only one Arthur tolerated on a day-to-day basis.

Actually he was the only servant Arthur tolerated at all. Him and Gwen, though he allowed Gwen pardon when she annoyed him because she made Morgana so happy. _Speak of the devil_, he looked and saw Gwen wiping her eyes furiously as she carried water up to the castle. He frowned and followed her, thinking she might know where Merlin was.

"Gwen! Guinevere!" he called out. The serving girl turned around and spotted Arthur then quickly turned her head away, but not before Arthur saw the tears streaming down her face. "Gwen? he questioned, jogging forward to reach her as she put the buckets down to speak with him. "What's the matter?"

"Good morning, sire." she said quickly, wiping her eyes. "I'm just collecting water for Morgana's bath? Have you seen her this morning? She told me she was dining with the King and I could have the morning off, but I still can't find her and it's well after breakfast." her voice was choked with tears and she kept wiping the tears that fell down.

"No I haven't. Why are you crying?" he asked, then looked around. He couldn't be seen comforting his stepsister's serving girl, it was very improper. So he tugged her arm, making her leave the buckets where she'd put them down and brought her into an alcove where they could both hide, back against the walls and a small space between them. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

Gwen wiped her eyes and sniffed, "Nothing sire. It's silly… I need to go…" she tried to move but Arthur caught her and trapped her with his arm.

"It's not silly if you're crying so hard." Arthur shifted his knees so he was more on level with her and tilted his head to the side. "What happened?" he breathed and Gwen couldn't stand it. She leant forward and pressed her head into Arthur's chainmail, sobbing. At first, he wasn't sure what to do but then wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. "Gwen?"

At first he couldn't hear what she said, words muffled by his armour, but he pulled her back and chose not to comment on the imprint his chainmail left on her cheek. "It's Elyan…" she repeated, realising Arthur hadn't heard her. "Him and my father… they've always argued but this time…" she kept trying to wipe the onslaught of tears that fell down, but Arthur pressed his thumbs under her eyes and wiped them for her and they stilled.

She stared at him, surprise in her eyes and the gesture and that it was coming from Arthur then shivered. "He left us." she whimpered. "And… And my father has forbidden from speaking to him again. He says, he abandoned us when he's just angry… Angry because my mother could have lived if…" she gasped and pulled away from Arthur and tried leaving the alcove again.

"Lived if what?" Arthur whispered, dragging Gwen back. "You can tell me. You won't get into trouble. I promise you."

Gwen focused all her efforts on staring at the ground then whispered, "My mother was dying and… before the Purge there was a simple spell that would have saved her. Elyan found out and… and hated my father for not trying to get magic to save her." Gwen looked up at Arthur, tears glistening in her brown eyes. "He would say that the King started the war on magic to avenge his wife and that… that my father should be brave enough to use it to save her. He didn't hate Camelot or the King or you… he just hated that we couldn't save our mother and said he'd needed to be away from Camelot to understand why magic could be abused for one woman but another."

The tears choked Gwen again, but this time, Arthur drew her into an embrace, resting his chin on top of her hair. He stared over her head, with a frown, not quite understanding what to do. Elyan hadn't looked for magic or used it, he had simply wished for it to save his mother, so no law had broken. He had gone and there was no way he could speak with him and try to make him see reason but there was something he could do.

"Gwen if you need anything, if without your brother you can't afford food or luxuries, then tell me." Arthur swept her hair off her face and cupped her chin in his hand. "I'll take care of you, you know that. You're a… you're a good friend of Morgana's and she cared for you deeply and… and you've earned that from me too."

Gwen flushed and stammered out, "Th-Thank you… Thank you sire."

"It's Arthur." he corrected her, staring down at her pink tear stained cheeks and wishing there was something more he could do. "Forget about Morgana. She seems to be missing, along with Merlin." He frowned and shook his head of confusing thoughts. "Maybe they're down by the lake. Leave the buckets and come with me." He squeezed Gwen's hand and pulled her out of the alcove, then told another servant to collect the buckets and take them to where they were needed.

Arthur and Gwen didn't find Merlin or Morgana that day, but Arthur did manage to coax Gwen into swimming in the lake with him, and caught something they could eat whilst Gwen foraged for berries and roots, making them a good lunch that tided them over until the evening when Arthur found a rabbit and they ate again.

It was strange, they had never really spent time alone together since that day he'd walked her back to her house. But they soon found things to talk about and when they didn't, they sat in a companionable silence.

"Morgana will angry with me." Gwen said, staring out at the sunset over the lake. They'd finished eating their dinner and had been quiet until Gwen spotted Camelot and wondered what her mistress was up to.

She had Arthur's cloak wrapped around her and her dress was laying out somewhere behind her while her petticoat dried. Arthur was in a similar position, his clothes a safe way away from the water whilst his underclothes dried on his body, though he stretched out underneath the sun and had an apple he'd found on a tree, crunching into it.

"I'll tell her not to be." Arthur said. "I'll make up some excuse. I've gotten good at that." Gwen turned to him and frowned. "Merlin. He always stumbles in late to meetings and I have to explain to my father why or else one day, he's going to be flogged."

Gwen narrowed her eyes, "But you can't be mad at him either. Not for today. You ran out on him as much as he ran out on you."

"I did not run out on him!" he scoffed.

"Yes, Arthur. You did. Just like I ran out on Morgana." Gwen glared at him. "If you punish Merlin, then you'll have to punish me."

"I'm comforting you." Arthur pointed out. "Improperly too. If I remember correctly, you're a stickler for propriety."

"And you're not?"

"I disregard propriety when I need to help a friend." he said without thinking and kept crunching his apple whilst Gwen stared at him.

"And I am a friend?" she asked.

Arthur stopped chewing for a moment then nodded. "I think you are. But don't tell Merlin. He's been begging me to give him the title of friend since I met him." He chuckled as Gwen rolled her eyes at him and pressed her chin to her knees.

"So you let Merlin and Morgana have their day and we have ours?"

"What makes you so sure they're together?"

"A feeling I have." she shrugged, not willing to mention the fact her mistress had a crush on Merlin and he returned said feeling's, even though neither would admit it to her.

Arthur sighed and tilted his head back so he could absorb more from the sun. "Fine. Merlin won't get into trouble and you won't either."

He was quite surprised when Gwen leant over and pecked his sun flushed cheek, then curled back into her ball. "Thank you Arthur. For everything." He didn't realise he hadn't stopped smiling since, until he was staring at himself in the mirror later that night.

* * *

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I am throwing a house party if no one has realised and my boyfriend has been giving me Rokorderlig and LemonLime&Vodka since 6am and I'm thinking I'm on my eighth Rekordelig and third vodka and I can still type fine! But I wanted to upload this before midnight to say Happy New Year and a thank you.

I was pretty sick these last few months and all that has been getting me through is writing this and seeing your reviews and that people are enjoying my strange little AU. So much love goes out to all of you and I wish you all the best for 2013.

And, again.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)


	32. Hunt or be Hunted

**A/N: **I am so sorry! I uploaded this on DocManager on the first day of the year with an apology for drunk typing... But my internet must have cut out or something because I thought I uploaded but, clearly, didn't. So in light of that, I'm uploading two chapters at once.

**HelenMorgause, **thank you. Yes this is epic. I was going to upload this in a couple of series but I thought, "Nah. Stuff it. Leave it all in one." And hahaha, glad to know I'm not the only one. **My Soundless Dream, **Nooo, they're fine. Glad you like it! **bubzchoc, **Thank you! **StargirlRiver, **Here is the next chapter! **IndiaMoore, **Thank you! I did have a great New Year. Hope you did too. **TN Sarah, **yeah, she was a little hopeless at that... so was Merlin, just saying... **High Serpent King,** it won't for just a little bit, but it is alluded to. **CrazilyObsessed, **wow, thank you very much. I am very sorry that Camille is a horrible character, please forgive me! In my defence, she is based on the legend and one of my best friends name's Camille so it is nothing against the name. Review when you catch up to this! I love seeing when my reviewers catch up. Sorry for ruining your sleeping pattern. :S **mrlnfan, **I know! He loses so much! But no matter what I do, please remember this is a Mergana fic... :) **Distressed Clover, **no, no, no... Read on :) Very simple explanation. **Phatomxx, **because it wouldn't make sense with what I plan to do with it... :) **SunnySmile1324, **you shall find out.

For chap30's reviews, **mrlnfan, **Yes he is still in Letters (the new chapter is difficult to write) and HE WILL... VERY SOON! **Distressed Clover, **I am sorry to make you cry. :( I'm glad you thought it was good. **bubzchoc, **thanks! **TN Sarah, **thank you and he will soon and about what you said about Arthur... Yes he **Procrastination Is My Game, **Thank you! **IndiaMoore, **I am sorry I killed Ector... I actually half wish I didn't... :( **Guest4, **Thank you for adding yourself to my system. You can wear all the goggles you want, I don't mind. :) **High Serpent King, **Yep! Twas him. And he got in and out of Camelot with no one noticing him... Wonder if he'll do it again... ;) **Monkeymail, **I'm sorry! It's a good episode... And Gwaine is amazing, just so you know. He is my favourite knight.

* * *

**Hunt or be Hunted**

It had started off as a bad day to begin with.

For whatever reason, Merlin was late with the Prince's breakfast and was sneezing, something Arthur actually detested (the smell made him feel queasy and the sound of others sneezing reminded him of the smell and that in turn made him feel queasy).

But Merlin couldn't help it. He and Morgana had slept on the battlements and it had gotten cold and she had stolen all the blankets and now he was left with the flu. He hadn't even gone back inside until much later that afternoon, both of them losing track of time as they slept outside and it was Merlin who was struck by the weather and not Morgana, for which she apologised. Most of it had gone away, but he was left with sneezing every other minute. "And what is this?" Arthur growled, looking at his breakfast. "Where are the sausages?"

Merlin had dropped the sausages as he sneezed, but didn't feel the need to mention it. "Look. Arthur. I don't know what's going on the kitchens. Maybe they've run out."

"Then they should have put something else. I can't wholly survive on vegetables! That's a stockman's breakfast."

Merlin rolled his eyes and had to squash back the thought of yelling because he had a headache. "I'll bring you a huntsman's lunch then. No vegetables. Only meats."

"Well you'll have to won't you, because we're going hunting today." Arthur crossed his arms over his chest and didn't even have the humility to try and hide his smugness. Merlin's jaw dropped and he doubled over. His height was getting ridiculous, matching Arthur just about eye to eye. While Arthur liked to claim he was freakishly tall, Merlin would grin back and say Arthur was just too short.

But now he was annoyed. "I can't go hunting today." Merlin argued. "I'm sick."

"Sick?" Arthur reeled back, afraid to catch something. "Is _that _why you're sneezing?"

"Probably." he threw his hands up in the air and then let them fall. "We can go another day, can't we?"

"No we can't. The tourney is this week and the noblemen are already on their way. My father wants us to hunt for the feast being held tomorrow eve for their arrival." Arthur argued. "Anyway. Getting out of Camelot will do you good. A night spent in the sun and under the stars does wonders for a mans health and you're looking peaky."

"_Sick!_" Merlin snapped, and didn't want to tell Arthur it was a night under the stars and a day in the sun that had started it all in the first place.

"Stop reminding me… Oh lord, I'm thinking about sneezing…" Arthur buried his face in the palms of his hands. "Merlin, I'm going to be sick."

Between the nausea from the thought of sneezing and the dry gagging sounds he was already making, Arthur didn't hear Merlin mutter, "And you call me a girl," Under his breath as he shoved a bucket under his master's face.

* * *

By the time they had gotten to the horses, they weren't fairing much better, snipping at each other to the point where the knights that were with them, Sirs Leon, Kay, Pellinore, Garreth – who was steadfast loyal to Merlin and Kay since the Giant – Samuel and Ramone, were trying not to frown and stare pointedly, especially at Merlin's blatant disrespect.

"I thought you said you took some sort of potion." Arthur argued as Merlin renewed his argument about being sick when Arthur started gagging at his sneeze.

"It only dulls the illness, it doesn't put it off altogether."

"Maybe you need to take something that will dull the sound of your voice."

"Hmm. I'd try to find such a potion, but I'm too busy trying to find a potion that'll dull your bigheadedness."

"ARE YOU CALLING ME FAT?"

"I'm saying you have a bighead. That you're conceited. Arrogant. Egotistical, narcissistic, _vain_. That's probably why you're so obsessed with me calling you fat."

Arthur, it seemed, had totally ignored the first part of what Merlin said, off in his own tangent of thoughts. "Is _that_ why you didn't bring me sausages this morning!"

"Oh, for pity's sake… No! Although, now that you mention it, I do have to loosen your belts."

Merlin was attempting to get on his horse as he spoke and Arthur yanked him back down, causing him to fall then narrowed his eyes. "You were saying."

"Prat." Merlin snapped.

"Clotpole."

"My word."

"Idiot."

"Overused, Arthur, overused."

"But it just encompasses so much about you Merlin." Arthur smiled pleasantly from above him then stalked over to his own horse and mounted it. "And when we get back Merlin, you can clean my stables."

With a pointed cough, Merlin insisted as climbed his horse again, "Which letter of the word _sick_ is ruining your understanding of its meaning? Is it the 'S', or the 'I' or the…" Merlin sneezed. Arthur balked.

"Gah! You can stay behind if you're going to keep doing _that!_" Arthur looked pale and green again and Merlin to a cruel satisfaction out of it and now it was his turn to gloat smugly and Arthur scowled. "I'm being serious, Merlin. If I throw up because of your sneezing, I am warning you, I will not be satisfied with anything but your blood."

Before Merlin could retort, Kay intervened, moving his horse Falco between them. "Boys, do you think you could stop arguing like an old married couple so we can get going?"

They both turned to each other and gruffly agreed, leading their horses out of the courtyard and towards the market place. They had just made it to the entrance of the markets – Arthur leading with Merlin beside him, Kay and Leon flanking them, Pellinore and Garreth behind and Samuel and Ramone bringing up the rear with a cart being dragged by their horses – and the knights believed for a moment that _maybe_ they could have a peaceful hunt when the smoke from a meat stall tickled Kay's nose and got him to sneeze.

Instead of shouting at Kay, Arthur turned to Merlin and glared. "_Mer_lin."

"It was Kay!" The older knight ignored the lack of 'sir' Merlin having long ago dropped the title during one of the many chess matches they shared since the Giant incident.

"You started it!"

"_Achoo!_" Leon quickly flushed as the smoke bothered him and turned to his prince in embarrassment.

"No, not you too, Leon!" Arthur moaned.

"_Achoo!_" Merlin's head flung back as the smoke got under his nose.

Arthur gagged. "Oh I'm going to hurt you _so_ badly in training tomorrow."

"Are they _still_ arguing?" The Prince, his knights and his manservant were all drawn to a stop as Morgana and Gwen stood, arm in arm with a basket filled with materials between them in front of the horses. "It's been a week. Will you two not let up?" Morgana demanded.

The Prince and his manservant both rolled their eyes. "It's his fault." they said together, nodding to the other.

"_My_ fault. You won't stop sneezing!"

"If you gave me a day off, maybe I'd recover and stop…_achoo!_"

"_Stop that!_" Arthur spluttered, suppressing his heave.

Morgana tensed and looked between Arthur and Merlin. "Are you sure you two should be going for a hunt today? The days are getting colder and shorter and Arthur, you look sick. There were reports of bandits just two days past."

"There are always bandits." Merlin spouted off dryly.

Gwen fidgeted for a moment and nodded to Morgana. Both of the girls found their attentions diverted by Cador, a third year squire, fifteen years old with tanned features and long brown curls covering two wide blue eyes. He was striding towards the markets, wearing the traditional black leggings with a red jerkin to his knees, belted around his waist and thigh high brown boots. "Oh!" Morgana got on her toes and looked over. "That's him, then?" she whispered.

"That's who?" Kay, Arthur and Merlin all demanded for different reasons. Arthur was looking for something to tease Morgana about, Kay was slightly concerned for her safety and Merlin had a spur of jealousy wash through him at the thought of Morgana looking at someone else… _Though it's ridiculous because I'm not courting her nor can I ever court her, _he thought grimly, looking at the dark green dress she was wearing, her hair up in plaits around her hair.

"Cador." Morgana grinned then started to drag the blushing Gwen along. "We need to go. But you shouldn't go hunting!" she called out over her shoulder and the two giggling young ladies rushed after the squire. Gwen turned and shot Merlin a shy look, blushing before Morgana tugged at her arm again.

"Who is Cador?" Kay asked as they resumed their horses moving out of Camelot.

Arthur shrugged, "I know he's one of Frenwyn's current squire's but that's it. However, if she tries anything, I'm telling father and watching her squirm."

It was just as they were approaching the Darkling Forest did Merlin remember who Cador was. "Oh. It's that squire Gwen has a thing for." Merlin said, tutting his tongue as relief washed over him that Morgana wasn't interested in the older and stronger knight. Gwen and Morgana had met Merlin in the alcove a few weeks previous and Gwen had been thoroughly distracted and told them her story of dropping her laundry and having Cador help her before he said he thought she was quite pretty.

From that moment, she was enamoured and Merlin and Morgana had gently ribbed her about it for the rest of the afternoon, Morgana teaching Merlin a song about Gwen and Cador kissing in treetops.

What he hadn't been expecting when he let this bit of information was the reaction he got from the closer knights who could hear him. Kay sighed with relief, Leon became tense and angry, Pellinore hummed some tune to pretend he had no idea what anyone was talking about and Arthur, the Prince of Camelot, choked and fumed. "Gwen likes this… this… _Cador_?"

Merlin blinked and cleared his throat. "Um… yes. Gwen likes Cador… Why do you care?"

He could understand Leon's reaction, the knight left in charge of Gwen's care since Elyan had left Camelot to 'find his own destiny' as he called it. After letting his father know he wasn't keen on being another Blacksmith in Camelot he had left with a single request to Leon to keep Gwen safe and now she was reaching an age where boys were interested in her it was getting hard.

"Because… she's Gwen." Was the only reason Arthur could give, looking mildly confused himself. "I just don't want some pompous knight trying to make a fool of her."

"He's not." Pellinore piped up and the others looked at the dark skinned knight rubbed at his shaped stubble and then pushed his hand over his cleanly shaven head. "He's my Uncle's squire… I help him train, _obviously_. He's actually quite taken with Guinevere and plans to ask Morgana and her father's permission to escort her to the dance on the final night of the tourney."

"He can't do that." Leon object. When no one backed him up, he looked to Merlin more than the others. "Can he?"

Merlin found they were all staring at him, waiting expectantly for the answer. "Well, yes. Gwen's a freewoman from Camelot and he's just a squire. As long as Morgana gives her permission to have the night off, it's fine."

Garreth pulled up between them, older then Kay by at least twelve years, and scoffed. "You five gossip like women. Now are we here to hunt or discuss a serving girl's love life?"

The Prince snorted and sped his steed on, trying not to think about the annoyance he had at Gwen being courted by the Squire and wondered why the hell he was so invested in what she did. _She's Morgana's handmaiden and Merlin's friend… if something was to happen to her, they'd be devastated. It's only natural your care and protection extends to her and who knows what this __**Cador's **__intentions are. Anyway. You told her she was your friend too._

Satisfied with his mental answer, Arthur started searching for a clearing to leave the horses so the hunt could properly begin.

"_Achoo!_"

"_Lords, Mer_lin! WARN ME!"

* * *

When Arthur ordered Merlin to stay back and set up camp so he wouldn't sneeze and scare all the animals off, Kay offered to stay back with him, not liking the idea of the boy by himself in a clearing with bandits spotted so recently. Whilst never formally acknowledging Merlin's practice of magic, when strange things happened around them, Kay shot Merlin a knowing and, often, thankful smile when he'd realised it had been someone's life in danger and, in return, become one who had Merlin's favour.

The camp was set up quickly and Merlin started preparing dinner in the early evening, Kay kneeling next to him to help with whatever Merlin asked. "Hopefully Arthur brings some sort of pheasant or rabbit back." Merlin muttered. The Prince, stubborn in his beliefs, had insisted Merlin not bring any meat to prepare, claiming he'd catch it himself like a real man. Merlin had snuck some died meats for himself just in case and to throw into the stew so the men wouldn't complain about being fed like rabbits. "I don't think I can stand his complaining another minute."

"What's the matter with you two?" Kay asked, sitting back with his elbows on his knees and peeling a carrot. "You've been at each other all week."

"He's annoyed at all the extra work he's had to put in, organising his first tourney. And this is officially his first one as host."

The previous year, Arthur had won the travelling tourney in Olaf's Kingdom to the south. Merlin, Arthur, Leon and Pellinore went together with the latter knights squire's to compete in some ridiculous event in which the knights wore helmets and no colours and were judged unbiasedly on technique only in teams built up from the kingdoms. The rounds were in swordplay, jousting, mace work, duelling, archery and dagger throwing and were umpired by unnamed adjudicators who sat in the crowd and were picked randomly by each kingdom so there could be no unfair scoring. The men went in a team, Arthur taking swordplay and mace work, Leon with archery and duelling and Pellinore with dagger throwing and jousting and had won.

At the time, Arthur had been elated to have won his first competition as a knight, however as Prince of Camelot and the leader of his team, it was his duty to organise the next even that would be held in Camelot.

"He's panicking and has me working double time which gets me panicking. And I'm sick and I'm not nice when I'm sick." Merlin made a face and looked at Kay. "It's just a cold, but it's annoying me to tears."

"Well maybe you shouldn't be sneaking out onto the battlements in the middle of the night with a certain king's ward." Kay said casually, but there was a small smirk curled up on the end of his lip.

Merlin twisted around sharply, almost taking his own neck off and his jaw dropped in surprise. It was enough to confirm Kay's suspicions and he merely smiled as innocently as he could. "How'd you know?" Merlin whispered.

Kay tilted his head back and laughed. When he regained himself he merely wiggled his fingers. "You're not the only one with secret gifts."

Merlin strained his brain trying to think but couldn't think of a single way that Kay could have found out about him and Morgana sleeping in the battlements together. Even she hadn't planned it. "I'm convinced you're the eyes on the walls of Camelot." Merlin muttered angrily, chopping up the vegetables.

"Ah, don't be like that, Merlin." Kay ruffled his hair and passed him the carrot. "Just don't get caught by someone less… understanding."

"We're just friends." he said under his breath. "She was upset… that was all. And then we stupidly got locked out and it took us half the morning to get the door unlocked."

"I'd have thought no door was that hard for you to unlock." Kay said vaguely. "You know. Because you're good at that sort of thing."

"It's not always easy to open doors when a Lady of Morgana's station is present, in Camelot." Merlin said, equally as vague. Then his head snapped around. "But we're still just friends."

"I'm not implying anything." Kay teased. Merlin turned back to his cooking but Kay nudged him back to attention. "But I _did_ see that look you gave her when you suspected she was pining for Cador. Be careful, alright? You could get hung for showing such emotion towards the King's ward."

They didn't get to speak much more about it as Arthur and the other knights returned, roaring with the promise of a good hunt and chortles of laughter as they relived the moments of the kill over and over with raucous regale.

It was a very good hunt from what Merlin could see, pheasants and rabbits hung over their shoulders in the dozens, two deer, being carried between Leon and Pellinore and Samuel and Garreth and a suckling boar that Arthur carried as his own prize.

"Here." Arthur grinned, walking backwards passed Merlin, just to show off. He grabbed a pheasant from over his shoulder and threw it at him. "For Gaius. If he wants to share it with you, who am I to judge?"

"I'm honoured, sire." Merlin said, biting back a more scathing remark.

"Oh and, cook this for us now." he said, passing Merlin a rabbit. "I feel like rabbit tonight. Men? Rabbit? Or pheasant? We have enough of both. No need to be picky." He grinned widely and looked to Merlin for either approval or a taunt, the warlock wasn't sure.

"Good hunting, Arthur?" Merlin commented. "I see you got a suckling. What happened to the mother?"

Arthur put the sucking on the top of the pile of the cart they'd brought and looked as though nothing could bother him. "She got away. But don't worry. It's too dark now, but we tracked her to a set of caves not far from here. We're going in the morning before we head back to Camelot." He fell beside the fire and leant in closer, warming his hands over the flames as the frigid air got to him. "Imagine it. Adorning the banquet table on the opening night of the feast, a large boar caught by Prince Arthur himself."

"Bighead." Merlin coughed, stifling his voice with his fist.

But Arthur looked blissful. "Laugh it up, Merlin. Nothing will drag me down to your level right now." He leant back on his hands and stretched. "I'm actually excited for tourney again."

"That is good, sire." Ramone said gruffly, sitting across from him. "I hear you have some fierce competition. This year King Urien of Gaul shall be coming from across the seas and is bringing his new Knight, Accolon."

"Accolon." Pellinore said, taking off his boots to deal with some blisters. "I've heard of him. He's our age, I think Leon."

"Nay, younger." Samuel corrected. "He's Urien's nephew. A would be prince. I think he's just a bit older than Arthur."

Arthur shrugged. "He's probably not even that great."

"I wouldn't be so sure." spoke Garreth. When the men turned to him he said, "He's supposed to be the greatest fighter in all of Gaul and trained in Persia, Italia and with the savages from up north with some of the greatest masters and slept with all their women."

The knights all chortled and Merlin just rolled his eyes, most of the conversations going straight to bedding when they were out on a hunt. Arthur had stopped blushing at such conversations a year into Merlin's service and occasionally muttered knowing his own stories but claimed he was too honourable to mention it. Merlin had been subjected to reading a letter from Will with him explaining that he'd kissed Harriet, Emun's daughter who was a year older than them and that it was her that tried to initiate more vigorous activities. He blushed at just the thought and got a little disturbed because he knew how well Emun swung an axe.

"Well he won't get anywhere near our women." Leon piped up. "He'll be too busy hiding his shame from his defeat. Camelot will be hosting another tourney next year, mark my words and when Prince Arthur fights him in the duel, no master swordsman from _Italia_ will save him."

"Well said, Leon." Kay clapped his hands together and smirked. "Practicing that little pep talk, have we?"

Leon shoved Kay roughly and he sprawled back before picking himself back up and sitting properly once more.

"Hey." Arthur defended himself. "I don't need a pep talk because tomorrow morning I shall catch myself a boar and prove myself more of a man than Sir Accolon will ever be."

"What does killing an innocent animal have to do with you being a man?" Merlin asked, having finished gutting and cleaning the rabbit and roasting it over the flames.

Arthur picked up a stick from in front of him and waved it at Merlin over the flames. "That attitude right there, Merlin. _That_ is the reason why you will always be a _girl_."

"Arthur, I'm about to sneeze."

"Gah!" The Prince rolled onto his back in a very un-Princely manner, blocking his ears, shutting his eyes and curling up in on himself and Merlin laughed so hard he fell over, clutching his aching sides.

* * *

Waking up the next morning, the entire camp was packed and left for Sir Ramone to watch as his old knee injury had flared up during the night and he didn't want to risk injuring himself further. Merlin was allowed to come on this hunt, even though he wasn't particularly happy about it, and held Arthur's crossbow and arrows, watching and waiting for the Prince to give out an order.

The boar was near. All trails leading to a cavern that Leon had sighted him in. In the far off distance, Merlin could hear the cracking of branches. He turned his head to Arthur who just nodded and pointed for Merlin to head around the left. He rolled his eyes but followed orders, his dagger in hand.

There was another crack of twigs and Merlin looked over to see the boar grazing a little way ahead, nose snuffling through the earth. _Ahh,_ he thought to the poor thing. _Run. Go! Be free!_ But he could already see Arthur taking aim on the other side of the small valley.

He looked back to the creature and spotted a large branch next to it. Merlin stared at the branch and his eyes flashed gold as it snapped in two.

The sound and movement distracted the boar and caused it to run off. Internally, Merlin cheered and did a little jig, but he plastered a look of utter disappointment on his face as he looked up to his master and friend.

But Merlin couldn't see him. _Maybe he's doubled back around to where the clearing we were just in, _he thought to himself and he skidded across the muddied and wet terrain until he reached where they'd split up.

He fell into the clearing and sure enough, Arthur was there scowling at him. "Did you scare the boar off?" Arthur demanded.

Merlin shook his head, but his insides were trying to grin. "No sire."

"Why don't I believe you?" The two of them were alone, the others rounding around the animal. When Merlin couldn't produce a good enough answer, Arthur growled and shoved him forward. "Come on. We're killing that boar whether you like it or not."

"I don't like it. You already have the suckling. Why can't you just be appeased with that why do you always have to push it that one overreaching step?"

Arthur sighed and actually stopped to turn to face Merlin, his shoulders slumped a little, tired with their constant battling. "Look. Merlin. I know I've been overloading you to make sure everything about this tourney is done perfectly. I know because Morgana keeps pestering me about me using you like a pack mule. And you're sick and you get annoying when you're sick and I _hate_ sneezing. But a lot is riding on the next week going perfectly and I'm under a lot of pressure from my father to impress the other kingdoms so I just need you to understand for me that killing this boar would be like… like… it would be more impressive than having the biggest crown or the most ornate dressings or the swiftest horse. Do you get it?"

Merlin actually felt bad for Arthur, seeing the weight that the tourney was resting on his shoulders clearly for the first time. Maybe it was a pride he didn't understand, but he understood that whatever the other kingdom's made of Arthur would reflect back on Camelot. Biting his lip he nodded and relaxed his own shoulders. "I know _you_ won't believe this but I can track the boar faster than you."

Arthur scoffed. "I really don't believe that." Before Merlin could make up some excuse for him to simply reach out and grab the boar with his magic, holding her steady until Arthur could slay her, an arrow whizzed through the air and would have struck Arthur had Merlin not heard the twang of the arrow.

All thoughts of the boar left him as he tackled Arthur to the ground, allowing him to just miss the arrow. The Prince pushed Merlin off and he landed on his back, winded momentarily as Arthur jumped up on his feet and withdrew his sword.

It wasn't a second too soon as a sword went crashing into his, ringing out through the forest. Merlin dropped Arthur's crossbow as he crouched down and flung the two masked attackers who came at them next back into trees.

There was a resounding cry and Merlin turned his head to see Arthur clutching his shoulder and an arrow standing horizontally out of him. "Arthur!" Merlin rushed over to him as the Prince fell to his knees.

The Warlock picked up his master's sword at the last minute, swinging it to block an attack made at him. "Merlin, _no_." Arthur hissed, grabbing his arm and yanking him away from the block and to his knees.

Merlin looked at Arthur, surprise etched into his face but when he looked back up, he realised they were surrounded. Twelve or more men stood around them and the two Merlin had sent sprawling were getting up to add to their numbers and raising their swords at them.

On his knees, Arthur panted to work through the pain but reached his hands above his head, clearly knowing when to surrender. Merlin reluctantly dropped Arthur's sword and did the same, murmuring under his breath that the other knights would hear the attack and come for them, but he had no idea where they'd gotten to, having split up more than thirty minutes previous. "Are you Prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot?" the man in front of them, tall and burly, wore a mask just as the rest did.

Arthur nodded and gasped as he pulled the arrow out of his shoulder himself. Merlin winced as he groaned through it, and chucked the bolt at the feet of the clear leader of their attack. "I'll give you whatever you wish. Just let the servant go." Merlin flinched and turned to Arthur, shaking his head. The Prince ignored him.

"We were told no witnesses." One of the other men reminded their leader, but the man in charge was curiously staring at Merlin with big brown eyes that held too many emotions Merlin had never seen before and some he had, like cruelty and want.

"We were also told to get insurance for the prince. This saves us a trip to Camelot." The man leant down in front of Merlin and cupped his chin, tilting his face from side to side. Merlin winced and tried to pull back but Arthur's warning glance told him not to move. His thumb slid across his jaw as he tilted his head back to get a good look at his neck. "You want your servant saved, Prince Arthur? Want to keep him safe from the likes of us?"

Arthur's eyes darted between Merlin and the masked man's face, the cut outs of his lips and eyes far too close to Merlin for the Prince's liking. In fact, he was edgy over the fact Merlin was being touched and wanted to boldly proclaim Merlin was _his_ and that no one got to touch _his_ belonging's without permission.

_I'm not your property, you prat,_ he heard his inner Merlin shout and he _almost_ rolled his eyes.

He had a feeling he knew what was going on and needed to calm himself totally and act as rationally as he could so both himself and Merlin – especially Merlin – home safely. "Yes. I'll do whatever you say as long as he stays safe."

"Good then." The leader turned back to his bind. "Cuff them both. Gag them too. Then get rid of our tracks from the area. Those other men might be not all be dead and if they come to and be searching for their Prince."

"Dead?" Merlin echoed and received a swift slap to his face, bruising him instantly. Before he could even recover, a dirt tasting cloth was yanked sharply into his mouth.

"Hey!" Arthur shouted. "I said my full cooperation if he stays safe."

"He is safe." the leader growled. "Just a little bruised, that's all." He stroked his thumb over Merlin's cheek hard, irritating the already swollen area and then shoved him to the floor, only catching him by the gag in his mouth, dragging his mouth back and wider. "Best if you don't talk, little one." he tightened the gag and pressed a knee into his back. "Silence is preferred." And he let Merlin drop.

Merlin cried out as his hands were forced down behind his back and bounded in thick ropes. His bag and belongings surprisingly hadn't been taken from him and was now stuck on his shoulder where he could only hope it wouldn't fall. Arthur was in a similar position, though he grunted when his shoulder was jostled, blood seeping through the chainmail but thankfully, not too deep. Merlin could see that the chainmail had taken most of the impact and the wound was fairly superficial. At the most, Arthur would feel mildly dizzy from blood loss and would need the wound stitched so the skin could mend.

Unlike Merlin, he had been searched and his belonging's stripped from him. His spare weapons tucked skilfully between the folds of his clothes were also taken from him and Arthur's jaw tightened as one of the men took his favourite knife. Merlin saw his rings, the Pendragon signet that made him a Prince and the ring that was his mothers, were missing from his finger during the search, but one was put back on just after it and he kept his sleeve down to cover it.

He was dragged up to his feet and only just saw Arthur being pulled up the same way before his head was turned and he was marched ahead of his prince towards a clearing with horses and a cart. He heard a scuffle and tried to turn his head but only saw Arthur getting back up again, having stumbled to the earth.

Leads around their wrists bound Merlin and Arthur to a soldier each. The soldiers sat on top of their horses and led them by their ropes like overly large dogs being taken for walks and Arthur huffed in fury, but bit his tongue sending worried glances over to Merlin.

"I should probably welcome you boys, before we get on our way." The leader turned his head from his horse and smiled sweetly. "It's not every day that one gets to be captured by King Odin best contingent. You should feel honoured. Getting the royal treatment. Especially you, servant… especially you."

The last thing Merlin heard from Arthur before long hours of being forced to walk alongside the men and their horses, was him swearing under his breath and closing his eyes to block something out. All Merlin could do was try and send his magic out to find Kay, but no matter how much magic he pushed out, none of it was finding its target.

* * *

When it was far passed dusk and Merlin thought his legs were going to fall off, Odin's men set up camp for the evening. Feeling as though they were far enough from the City of Camelot, deep into the Forest of Brechffa and somewhere near the Mountains of Isgard, the men bound Merlin and Arthur to a tree with chains so they could not escape but could move just enough to be comfortable.

"There. Not all get to be gifted with such pleasures from us." Roland, the man who was there leader, secured Merlin's cuffs himself. As the bindings went around his wrist, Merlin gasped, his magic suddenly cut off from him. Roland frowned slightly, but said nothing as Merlin felt a tightness growing in his chest start growing by the second.

Experimentally, he tried using his gifts but was rewarded with a sharp pain around his wrists and when he looked under the silver, he saw red marks. _Do they know about me? _ He thought, noting the design and writing on the cuffs and realising they were magic suppresses.

He'd heard of them before and his mother had told him when he was a baby she'd tried using them on him for when they went out in public, but he'd grow restless and become pained and scratch the raw skin they left behind. He looked over to Arthur's chains and saw the same design and looking over to the cart they carried their equipment on saw that all of the chains had designs like that. _Must be a standard within the kingdom, _he thought ruefully and already felt lethargic from the way they held him.

Roland threw them a bread roll and two meat slices to share before heading back to the main part of the camp where there was a roaring fire to keep them from the cold. Merlin was already shivering, wearing nothing but his thin tunic, jacket and neckerchief. Arthur was cold but not enough to be visibly effected and kept shooting worried glances Merlin's way. He crawled over and undid Merlin's gag then Merlin returned the favour, flexing the pain married in his jaw and smacking his lips together to get some moisture in his mouth. "Here." The Prince split the bread into two and handed the piece with some meat to Merlin. "You need to eat too."

With a small nod, Merlin ate a little then passed the rest to Arthur. "I'm going to be sick." he muttered, shaking in cold sweats from being forced to walk under the sun all day whilst he was being sick in the first place and now, the chains were weakening him further making him dizzy. Arthur took the bread but didn't eat it, setting it aside on the sort of blanket he'd made up from his cloak.

"If you do throw up, go around the tree. This is the flattest part of the ground and we'll have to move if you make a mess of it. We need to rest well for tomorrow." Arthur wasn't trying to be rude or make a joke. He was merely stating the facts as they were. Merlin realised for the first time that he had been deadly calm the entire time, not once trying to goad their captors or even try to fight back. It was all rather tactical of him and Merlin was curious as to what was going on in his head.

"Why aren't you scared?" Merlin whispered.

Arthur rolled his eyes a little and looked at the camp. "I'm not… not really. Not for myself. I'm a prince. There are certain things that they can't do to me. The unwritten laws of royal hostage situations… But you…" Arthur's eyes darted back to Merlin and it was only then did the young manservant see a flash of fear. "Can you run?"

"Better question. Can I walk?" Merlin smiled, jokingly but winced because of the bruise on his face.

Arthur didn't look comforted by Merlin's attempt at banter. He was drained too, eyes sunken, face reddened from the sun and sweat drying all over. "I made a mistake." he muttered, bringing his Pendragon signet up to him mouth and tugging on it unconsciously with his teeth. "I shouldn't have asked them to let you go but," His eyes glanced over Merlin and he shuddered before turning back. "But they would have either knocked you unconscious or killed you and the former could have led to the latter anyway. It wasn't something I could risk."

"Why was it a mistake?" Merlin asked in a low voice, not quite sure of how Arthur's mind was working.

"Now they have an insurance on me." Arthur said with a sigh. "If I do something, they won't – can't hurt me. You…" he trailed off and Merlin felt his stomach turn with fear.

"This is most likely how it's going to work." Arthur told him in a low voice, turning and watching the camp, studying the men for any sort of weakness. They had two men on guard, near them but not close enough to hear what they were whispering. There were another two, off in the distance behind them should they try and escape and six around the perimeter.

The rest of the men – twenty by Arthur's count - were setting up around the camp fire and, most likely, they would take turns in watching guard until dawn and nothing but a full scaled attack from Camelot's knights, one with about fifty soldiers and armed guards, would take them down without Arthur or Merlin getting hurt in the process. Forty and they'd escape with some bruises, thirty and Arthur would have to put up a fight and in his current condition and judging by Merlin's paling pallor, he wasn't certain how that would work out.

"We will continue walking until we reach out destination and I need you to stay alive for that. That means, you need to find whatever strength you have hidden in you and not show them a moment of weakness." Arthur's eyes were steely blue and flickered with orange from the far off distant flames. He refused to look at Merlin and Merlin refused to look anywhere but at Arthur, worried he'd disappear. "When we get to our destination, they could do one of two things…" Arthur bit his lip. "They could either keep you around to keep me in check or…" Arthur drifted off and Merlin knew.

"Kill me."

Arthur nodded grimly. "It all depends on why they want me."

"Why _do_ they want you?" Merlin asked. "This is an act of war… if the King find's out Odin's men–"

"Hopefully he never will." Arthur said under his breath and adjusted himself into the dirt. "Camelot can defend themselves against Odin's men should they chose to invade, but I don't think we could afford to go to War with them willingly. Not right now anyway. Our guard are up defending the north from Mercia still and Bayard and the Southern King were good friends once upon a time."

Merlin didn't even want to think about the four bordering lands, Caerleon, Mercia, Essetir and Odin's Kingdom were all enemies of Camelot at the moment. Rather, he wanted to concentrate on the current situation. "Why does Odin want you? What did the King do to ignite his fury?"

Shaking his head, Prince Arthur said, "Not my father… Me."

A little more than surprised, Merlin reeled back. "What have _you_ done to make Odin mad?"

Arthur scratched his head and ducked it, hiding some shame behind his arms that were curled up over his knees. "I… I…" he closed his eyes, trying to block out memories he obviously wanted forgotten. "I was fourteen and Prince Luka had something to prove. I don't know what I…" He winced at some memory playing behind his eyes and tilted his head to the side to stretch it out. "He came, dressed in full blown armour into Camelot and challenged me to a fight. Threw his gauntlet down at my feet and stared at me angrily, like I'd offended him. He was only about a year older than I, maybe less. I had no quarrel with him. I asked him to withdraw. I had no idea what it was all about."

He finally opened his eyes and turned to Merlin blankly, shaking a little and not seeing Merlin, but rather seeing the Prince who was only a little taller than himself but skinnier and less well trained. "I can still see his face. He looked so scared…" Arthur whispered, his eyes seeing ghosts.

Odin had declared war at the news, but then was forced to recount it as many witnesses, those from his lands and Camelot declared that Luka had challenged the fight and by those rules, he could not invade Camelot. "So I killed his son." he finished and drew his shoulders back. "I killed him and Odin has been trying to find some way to punish me ever since."

Merlin winced and tried to think of it, but couldn't imagine such a thing. He had seen Arthur kill before and winced at it every time, but this seemed to strike a nerve in the prince. "He… he challenged you." Merlin said. "You had no choice."

"I did." Arthur corrected him. "Only, it would have made me look cowardly and dishonourable and… and I thought that would be worse." He winced as he moved his shoulder and Merlin remembered the arrow.

"Come here." Merlin said, shuffling closer. Arthur hesitated before moving closer to Merlin and letting him shift the chainmail around and look at the wound through the thick padding of his material. He touched it and Arthur flinched, when he remembered his bag with equipment. "They didn't search me." Merlin said quietly, suddenly annoyed at his own stupidity. "I have food in here and supplies."

Arthur tried not to sigh and let his nerves get the better of him as Merlin fixed the bag around him and pulled out a water skin half-filled and regretted not filling it up again near the river when he'd had a chance that morning. He handed Arthur the water skin and watched him sip some before he handed it back. Merlin shook it and growled, "Helps if you actually drink some, you know."

"Odin's kingdom is still a two night journey and I'm still trying to find a way for you to escape."

"For both of us to escape." Merlin corrected him and Arthur just grunted. They kept Merlin's supplies hidden between them so the guards couldn't see what they were doing. Even if they hadn't, no one seemed to care so much as Merlin worked through Arthur's chainmail and used the balm Gaius made him pack and the small kit he had to fix Arthur's shoulder as best as he could. Arthur barely winced when Merlin squinted through the dark to stitch his skin together.

Arthur caught sight of something on Merlin's neck and blinked in surprise. With his good arm, he reached over the short distance, shifted Merlin's neckerchief aside and pulled out his necklace, laying it over his shirt. "You still have it."

With a small nod, Merlin actually peered down and nodded, "I've added to it." Along with the stone, the ring, the knot and the dragon, Arthur saw links from his own chainmail had been crafted into some sort of knot and added, a stitched leather charm and a tiny shield with a snake, the symbol of Essetir on it. "Where'd you get this one?" he asked, running his thumb over the one from Merlin's home kingdom.

He hummed and gritted his teeth, forcing the needle through Arthur's skin and tugging it through. He looked to see what he was looking at and said, "Oh. That. Don't think it means I'm a spy for Camelot or something. Will sent it to me. I asked him for something to add to it from home and he sent me that. It was one of the finishing's on his father's uniform, apparently. Gwen made the other one and I made the one from broken links of your chainmail." He looked up at Arthur. "Didn't think you'd need them."

Arthur didn't, nor did he care. It occurred to him that despite the distance, Will and Merlin were still exceptionally close. Most of the time when Merlin had free time, Arthur would catch him bent over a piece of parchment, writing to Will or drawing something to show him or reading Will's horrendously written and spelt responses. He felt something akin to jealousy burn in him but pushed aside stupidly. He couldn't be jealous of _Merlin_ having other friends because then he would be admitting out loud that Merlin was his own friend… and that wasn't going to happen. "You're not, you know… a spy from Essetir."

Merlin rolled his eyes and asked, "What spy takes two years to make their move then gets kidnapped?"

"Never implied you were a good spy." Arthur smirked but hissed as Merlin probed the wound too deep. He checked him and was pacified to see he hadn't done it on purpose. "What if an army came from Essetir? What if these men had been sent by Cenred?"

"If the soldiers had come from Ealdor, I'd have to do a double take." Merlin admitted. "All may not have liked me but some were friends and those friends had family. But if they tried to hurt you…" Arthur was slightly taken aback by the protective anger in Merlin's voice and watched his manservant's eyes dart to the man who had been responsible for the arrow in Arthur's shoulder then to Roland. "It's not land I hold in reverence but the people who occupy it. I was born in Essetir, but it's my mother and Will that makes it home."

It was something that had annoyed Arthur, if only slightly. He'd noticed it one day when they'd finished a night patrol that Merlin had come on and yawning, he said, "Let's go home."

In his tiredness Merlin had replied, "We're going to Ealdor?" and Arthur had rolled his eyes and snapped, "No you idiot. Camelot."

"Oh. Your home then." He was quite sure he'd meant nothing by it and Arthur's first reaction had been to snort with laughter. But as the days wore on he realised that Merlin never once referred to Camelot as his own home and that bothered Arthur.

It was not the time nor the place to bring it up however and Arthur was thinking of something else too that had struck him as a good idea when he'd spotted Merlin's necklet.

Chewing the inside of his lip, Arthur reached around Merlin's neck and undid the knot that held it in place. Merlin didn't object but kept flickering his eyes to what Arthur was doing, understanding only when he pulled his ring off and laced it through the leather. "Whatever you do, don't lose it." Arthur said, then retied it and tucked it back underneath the neckerchief. "It's my mothers." he explained. "It was given to her by my father on their wedding and resized for me, but they assumed my fingers would be much larger than they are." Merlin hummed, realising why it stayed on his thumb so often. "So if you lose it, Merlin…"

"I promise, I won't." Merlin hadn't known that. In fact, Arthur rarely ever spoke about his mother, only mentioning her in passing.

During the silence, Arthur started rummaging through Merlin's bag. He took Merlin's dagger out and flicked it between his hands. "This might come in handy."

Between watched Arthur's shoulder and looking at what was in his hands, Merlin was momentarily distracted. "My… my dagger?"

"Don't worry." Arthur smiled. "I'll get it back to you. You keep my mother's ring safe and I'll mind your father's dagger." He unsheathed it from its silver sheath and twisted it to inspect it. "Do you ever sharpen this thing?"

"I don't have anything to sharpen it with."

"Don't you sharpen my sword?"

Merlin shrugged. "I've been trying to buy one for myself but I never get around to it, or when I do, they're too expensive." Merlin glanced at the dagger, wary of the fact someone else had his most precious belonging but reasoned it was Arthur and he wouldn't do anything stupid with it. Arthur put the dagger down for a moment and rummaged for other things in the bag but mainly, it contained herbs and remedies mixed with some first aid bandages and food.

"You have dried meat in here." Arthur commented lightly. "Did you doubt my hunting skills?"

"I doubt a lot about you… your hunting skills, your intelligence…" Merlin smirked, then pulled the final thread and snapped it off with his teeth, for a lack of anything better. "There." he said after spitting out the loose thread. "It should hold, as long as you don't do anything to tear them."

"I probably will." Arthur assured him then twisted the dagger around in his hand then let it fall from hand to hand. "I think I have a plan."

* * *

**A/N: **Here's the next chapter... NO!


	33. Runners

**A/N: **Here you go!

* * *

**Runners**

When Kay started to gain a flicker of awareness, his eyes were rolled into the back of his head and he heard shouts and calls swimming around him. He groaned and started turning over but that was a mistake and he stilled.

His head whirled and he waited a few seconds while the world steadied itself, even though his eyes weren't open. It felt like he'd drank way too much ale and was now suffering the consequences of it but he couldn't remember drinking.

_What do I remember?_ He concentrated and saw masked bandits attacking them, rushing them from all angles, out numbered six to one. He remembered seeing Pellinore being stabbed and falling and he squashed his fingers into the dirt beneath him as he saw Leon fall unconscious in his minds eye, a blade singing through the air that struck home in Samuel's shoulder.

_"…ay…_ Kay!" the world became sharp and the sound of air being sucked from his ears became all to apparent to Kay, as he was forced to sit up. He looked up above him and saw Sir Walden and Sir Arnold leaning over him. "What happened?" Arnold demanded of him, whilst Walden got to work stopping the blood flow from his head.

He looked around, frowning wondering when night had fallen. "I… What happened?"

He received a sharp slap across the face and he balked whilst Walden slapped Arnold over the back of the head. "Watch it. He already has one head wound."

"We have little time to consider that. Arthur has been kidnapped!"

"Arthur?" Kay blinked, tilting his head around. "There was a boar… We were setting a trap. Leon?" He flashed out and remembered calling Leon for assistance with one of the traps. Kay was mainly put on patrols guarding the city, only being out on a small number of patrols in his life and hunting traps weren't apart of his skill set. "We have to set the rope." he murmured and tried to get down.

"Easy there." Walden settled him back down. "Arthur. What happened to Arthur?"

Kay groaned, looking around. "Arthur… Merlin… luring the boar…"

"They left the Prince of Camelot with a serving boy as protection!"

With a snort, Kay said, "Merlin's probably the safest person to be around… if you're his friend." He tittered forward and missed the look of surprise on Arnold's face, followed by a look of accusation as he glared at Walden. Walden ignored the entire exchange and lurched up, pulling Kay to his feet.

"Come on, boy." Walden looped his arm around Kay and escorted him to his horse, leaning him forward over the beasts back and securing him with rope. Kay didn't even care about the indescent way he'd been straddled upon Falco but turned his head to see Leon toppling similarly to him, but able to mount his own beast and Pellinore's body being strapped over the stiff lipped Frenwyn's horse. _Wasn't that his brother's son?_ Kay thought to himself but rolled his eyes, knowing the answer. He'd always known Pellinore's parentage. _Stupid..._

He tugged himself up and decided he could ride, undoing Walden's bonds, despite the firm looks he was getting. "I'm alright." he said, rubbing his face. "Everyone just needs to stop moving and tell me which one of them is real." Walden rolled his eyes. Kay hoisted himself up onto his horse properly then saw the scene for the first time.

Pellinore was not the only one they lost, Samuel and Ramone's bodies being strung to horses to. Leon stared at the back of his best friend, lost for words as Garreth was being treated minimally to stop any more blood escaping the gash he had on his leg. "Pell was a good knight," he heard Arnold assure Frenwyn. "He died fighting for his Prince."

Kay couldn't necessarily say that was true, but bit his tongue as everything else came back to him.

They were ambushed. The men must have been waiting until they were separated enough to attack and – if what Arnold had said was true – kidnapped Arthur. "Merlin?" he asked generally and everyone glanced at him before Frenwyn replied.

"He's missing too." he replied stiffly.

"I wonder why." Arnold sneered.

"Don't you start." growled the older Knight. "So far, all we know is that they are both missing. If they were kidnapped, Arthur would have ensured nothing happened to him and kept him near."

"If they weren't kidnapped?" Leon asked cautiously and the though that the Prince and his manservant could be lying as dead as Pellinore, somewhere in the forest in the darkness was more unnerving.

They rode back to Camelot, making it back as the eleventh hour bell struck. To Kay's surprise, it was Morgana, Gwen, a man he'd never met wearing different colours and a woman he'd also never seen before, the met them on the stairs. Kay sat up on his horse as Frenwyn and Walden seemed familiar with these newcomers whilst Arnold continued to eye them with suspicion. "Did you find them?" Morgana asked, rushing down the stairs. "Did you…" her voice was cut off by the sight of Pellinore, Samuel and Ramone and Leon got off his horse as quickly as he could – which wasn't very quick at all – and moved forward, blocking Morgana's view.

"Morgana, I do believe you should head back inside."

"But where are Arthur and Merlin?" she demanded, her voice raising an octave. Leon looked pointedly to Gwen who hurried along and collected her mistress. "No, Gwen. Leave me." she ordered, pushing her away. "You need to find them… _horrible_ things will happen if you don't… I…" her breath hitched and Gwen quickly reached forward and wrapped her arms around her again, this time able to pull the frightened girl up the stairs and away before they all heard her terrible cries.

The woman on the stairs flinched, and stared longingly at the door. The rest of the party had dismounted and someone had ordered servants to move the bodies to Gaius's chambers for burial, Leon taking one last look at Pellinore. Kay was more interested of the people on the stairs. "Morgana will be alright. She suffers from nightmares and sometimes, relives them when she is distressed." he explained to the woman quietly.

The woman nodded, her blonde curls unable to soften her hard expression. "I suffered much the same as a child." she murmured, though Kay wasn't sure if it was supposed to be heard.

"Prince Accolon," Walden interrupted them, and Kay and Leon both jumped as they realised who the young man on the steps was. He had two plaits in his shoulder length black hair, edging his face and making his tanned skin somehow darker. Kay had met Gaul men before, and it was the fashion, though he noted Accolon wore his with a beard that just framed his lips instead of the strange long moustaches most of the men wore.

He wore no crown but his outfit should have given it away. He wore leather trousers and a gold studded jerkin over his tunic, with leather linings and a torc around his neck, depicting a snakes head on the fastenings. The Gaul always reminded Kay of peasants with the way their tunics overflowed with belted fabric and they never wore cloaks, but if he was to understand it, the Gaulish weather was much hotter and such things were not needed.

"Sire," Leon bowed and Kay followed. Garreth hung back but he was too injured to shift without Arnold forcefully shoving his nose to the ground, which he would have should it have been Uther. One thing about Arnold was he was loyal and selfless to no other but Uther and forcing Garreth to bow would have, not only cost him energy he had no reason to waste, but would have meant he himself would have to bow.

"At ease men." he said, tipped with a foreign accent. "I am saddened to hear the Prince Arthur is not returning. Is there anyway in which I can help with the search?"

"Let's get information back to Uther, shall we, before any promises of help are sworn." Arnold said, rather sharply.

The Prince tilted his head to the side then looked up at Kay who still had curious eyes for the woman who looked startling familiar though he couldn't place from where. Her dress was spun from soft fabrics, with a white bodice that cut off her shoulders and sailed down her arms and a brown skirt that started just below her waist. Over her shoulder she wore a pelt of made from wolf fur, the head of the slain beast resting on her shoulder and staring blindly with its hide skilfully skinned and stitched shut around its eyes.

His eyes caught her bracelet and he frowned at the sigil he knew but couldn't remember. He looked to Leon and nodded to the bracelet and he wore a similar frown. "My lords, I have not yet introduced you. This is my favourite*, the Lady Morgause from Cornwall."

The Lady reached her hand out as Kay extended his and kissed it lightly on her knuckles. "Pleasure." he replied and glanced back at Leon who was still frowning at the bracelet.

* * *

When Arthur hadn't returned at the set time from his hunting trip, Uther was concerned, not with his son's welfare but with his pride. The first of the champions for the tourney would be set to arrive by mid-morning and Arthur was supposed to return just after breakfast. He was expected to greet all challengers on the stairs and sort out their rooms with that idiot manservant of his, Merlin – yes Uther knew his name. No, that did not mean he was simply going to stop calling him Marvin or Martin as he pleased.

The first of the champions arrived, Knights from Mercia under heavy guard. By diplomacy all war efforts had to be called off during the tourney and whilst the men were enemies, they were to be treated as welcomed guests. "Prince Arthur shall return. He is still hunting for tonight's feast." Uther told them as they arrived and let the other servants help them to their rooms.

It was as noon struck did Uther become worried and Caerleon, Olaf, Alined, Ban and Bor's men, those from Nemeth, Northumbria, Essetir, Tir Mor and Anglia and even the men from Gaul had arrived and Arthur was still missing. "Sir Walden." he called out for one of his two flanking knights and waited as he approached close enough to whisper, "Where is Arthur?"

"Sire, I do not know where you son is. He left clear instructions that he would return by the end of breakfast hour." Walden spoke.

Uther turned his gaze back to the men and clenched his jaw. "I want him found. Now."

It was a little after one, when Uther ordered the servants to fetch what game they could from other's hunts for the dinner he was now organising for his guests, when Odin's men, Godwyn's men and men from Cornwall arrived in their groups and more rooms were prepared.

If Uther noticed Odin's men staring at him strangely, he didn't say anything, much rather wait for news on his son whilst having Helen and Cedric deal with his guests. "Sire?" Walden appeared behind him silently in a way that both inspired and unnerved the King and raised one eyebrow. "I've sent men along the usual hunting roads and one has come back with disturbing news, milord. There seems to have been a great number of men crossing the borders."

"The tourney is being held. Many shall come to watch." Uther said.

Walden just shook his head. "He says they came in ordered numbers. There was a clear flank, sire. Walking like a small army."

"A small army?" Uther murmured then looked over the crowd of people gathered in the courtyard from his step on the landing and smiled to make sure no one saw his unease. "Why is this the first we've heard of it?"

"They came through our borders over time, sire. They must have amassed themselves only once they were all across. Different trails have led in different directions, only to die out from age but they have certainly become a foot army."

"And their colours?"

"We have only found their trail."

"Arthur?"

"No sign of him yet, sire."

Uther paused to frown. "Keep looking."

As the eve approached, the dinner bells rung and Uther was concerned finally for his son's welfare and kept eyeing each man who was there for clues on what happened to his son. So many could be implicated. It was a well-known tradition for the victor of the last tourney to hunt for the feast and everyone was keenly searching for Arthur, as were many knights outside in the woods.

Walden had joined the search with Arnold and Frenwyn but a messenger came back and leant into Uther's ear. He tensed and the few who were watching saw this, including Morgana who had looked more and more alarmed as the seconds without Arthur passed. Rage built up in Uther's gut and he stood and nodded to the guards at the door who knew this signal well.

The doors shut and the players stopped their instruments. Everyone stilled, hands moving to weapons as Uther stood and stared at each of them evenly. "Men, of Albion and beyond. It is my greatest displeasure to announce that he Tourney is cancelled until further notice." There was gossip amongst the men and Uther eyed his guards along the wall, none of whom moved, but all knowing what was expected of them. "I do not wish to cause war or cast distrust amongst our people but it should be known now the reasons for this sudden cancellation.

"Prince Arthur of Camelot, my son and only heir has been kidnapped." Uther glared across the room and the men all tightened. "And I highly suspect one of your King's to be involved."

Before anyone could breath, the Guards of Camelot raised their weapons and showed just how they outnumbered the men of the tourney with their single action.

* * *

There was a great deal of arguing as Uther sorted the innocent from the guilty, but the fact remained none of them would answer to the crime. So soon, Arthur requested a new idea. "Each of you have four men from your countries. Two shall remain here and be cared for whilst two return to your homelands and deliver a message to each of your King's. I will find my son and until then, your men shall remain within Camelot, pleasantly or otherwise."

There was objection to this too until Prince Accolon stood. "My lord, I request that I alone remain of my men. There are four of us but Gaul is a two week journey. In the meantime, I offer my services in assisting to find your son."

"As do I." Uther looked and recognised Sir Harold of Anglia and then Bors, Ban, Olaf and Godwyn and Rodor's men stand and offer the same deal, men who knew they had ties to Camelot. Many more acquiesced to such dealing's as they realised they needed to show their alliance to Camelot, the strongest of the Five Kingdom's of Albion. The men who weren't apart of that strong alliance, Alined's Caerleon's, Cenred's, Bayard's and Odin's, looked more sceptical and agreed to the two men stay.

Everyone was escorted to their rooms and Uther took up the council chambers, waiting for news in the dark room, his emblazoned with his fury. _If you're playing some game, Arthur…_ he thought angrily, but even he knew his son wasn't that stupid. Gaius joined him in his time alone, standing alone against the wall.

"Sire, they will find him." Gaius said, trying to calm his king.

"I know that." Uther snapped and Gaius expertly didn't flinch, used to Uther's temper from a young age. "I am simply worried as to what happened."

"I am too, sire."

Uther glanced at Gaius and a small look of sympathy passed over his eyes. "The serving boy. He is your ward is he not?"

Gaius's chest heaved with sadness and he nodded. "Yes sire. He is."

Not caring so much for it, but being polite more than anything Uther replied, "He will be found too, Gaius."

With a small smile, Gaius replied, "I hope for both of them, my lord."

It wasn't soon after that Walden, Arnold and Frenwyn returned with the hunting party and joined him in the council chambers. Three were dead, three left but none of them were Arthur.

Prince Accolon and his favourite, the Lady Morgause came to his chambers too, the Prince gaining his trust by offering a contingent of his famed trackers to come from Gaul expressly, a journey he could make take one week should he be given the right supplies. His uncle had been a trusted ally against the Saxons from the north of his country, and Uther was actually quite fond of Urien and saw much of him in his heir and nephew. Uther, however, didn't see the slight frown his Court Physician threw towards the Lady Morgause, too caught up in the arrival of the hunting party.

Kay, Leon and Garreth, the three survivors of the attack all looked worse for wear, blood marring Leon's curls, one of Garreth's eyes double its natural size and Kay's lip cut and nose bloody, though he hadn't seemed to notice. "We found them not far from where we found this." Arnold said, approaching the king with a ring in his hand.

Uther took it and inspected it, his eyes widening. "Arthur's signet. But if he dropped it…"

"If I may sire," Frenwyn interjected. "The Prince was one of my squires, but being a prince I had to take precautions. When he was much younger, him, myself and… and Sir Ector made a system with him. He would be allowed to join us on hunts if he remember that should something happen to him and he could not scream, to leave a trace of himself behind before he was taken away. We practiced this a few times and the ring was often the easiest thing for him to hide. The signet was found dug precisely into the ground by a boot I believe to be Prince Arthur's."

"What does it mean, Frenwyn?" Uther finally snapped, sick of feeling so hopeless.

"What it means sire, is that Arthur has been kidnapped." Arnold explained. "And none of these idiots, saw the colours of the men who attacked." He glared at Leon, Kay and Garreth accusingly but Leon stepped forward angrily.

"They wore no colours. Only masks." Leon snapped. "And we lost three men whilst trying to return to Arthur."

"Return to Arthur?" Uther sat up straighter. "Why were you separated?"

Leon faltered a little as the King turned his anger to him but he straightened, ready to defend his men. Despite age and rank, when Arthur wasn't around, Leon was the official second in charge as dubbed by the Prince himself. When Arthur wasn't there, Leon was responsible. "It is a hunting manoeuvre, sire. To trap the game. We all take a corner and slowly ride in closer until it has nowhere to escape to. We were ambushed when we were at our most vulnerable."

"Separated." Uther continued, not hearing what Leon said. "You separated yourself from the Prince of Camelot!" he yelled.

Frenwyn, the most used to Uther's anger, easily stepped in front of Leon. "Sire, it is done. They have suffered the lost of their brothers in arms, punishment enough for their foolishness and disregard. What we must now concentrate on is where Arthur is. It is possible these men are simply bandits and are trying to recover some ransom. If so, we shall most likely hear from them by morning."

Uther snarled, "And if not? If these men carry some ill intent toward my son?"

"Then we must find him first." Prince Accolon said, offering a gracious smile to all those in the court.

* * *

As soon as Accolon and the Lady Morgause were back in their chambers, Morgause clicked her fingers and the Prince fell asleep, slumping on his bed. She stared at him pitifully, the man with such a weak mind she was able to manipulate him with ease.

No doubt he was a strong soldier and a tactical one at that, but he was second in line to the throne after his cousin and that left him with a lot simpler things to worry about. Wine and women being two such thoughts (though Morgause was prepared to debate they were the only thoughts). He was handsome enough though and that did entertain Morgause who was quite capable of thinking of many things at once.

In his heart of hearts, Accolon did actually want to assist the Prince of Camelot, simple natured and knowing that his Uncle would approve and thus gain his approval. Morgause wasn't even controlling him completely, just enough to ensure he was her solid alibi in and around Camelot. She often made him sleep simply because he spoke too much for her liking.

She walked to the nightstand and withdrew a simple mirror, gliding her hand over it to reveal King Odin staring back, his eyes cold as he stared at the High Priestess. "Is it done?" he asked.

Morgause smirked, "Your men captured Arthur and the kingdom is distracted. I should be able to get what I need with relative ease."

"And our deal still stands. Once you have your sister on your side, you will kill Uther and I am free to do with the boy as I wish?"

"Yes, but until then he remains untouched." Morgause threatened. "My sister is Seer. If Arthur is hurt, she will sense his pain and it will disturb her. Set me back."

"I have been sent word that his servant was taken too." Odin asked. "And of him?"

Morgause frowned and scoffed. "What would I care for a servant?"

Odin smirked and said nothing, shutting off the communication.

* * *

Dawn rose and Merlin and Arthur were yanked to their feet before they could even wake, Merlin stuffing the water skin into Arthur's pocket before he could object and fixing him a glare that insisted he drank it. Merlin's sickness came back with vengeance and he was coughing and spluttering and once even scowled at Arthur and said, "Oh yeah, fresh air. World of good it did me."

Arthur let it slide. He knew his servant well enough by now and had been with his through two flus and cough season and he knew that the boy was significantly less patient whilst he was sick. Not that Arthur faired better. Merlin compared him to a selfish, attention-whoring, dying cat with the way he moaned and went on. Arthur had objected to the overuse of adjectives but Merlin assured him that he had dropped quite a few of them.

But Arthur had a plan.

He forced Merlin to leave his blue neckerchief, the one Arthur had bought him, behind, stuffed hidden into a tree. "I'll get you a bloody new one." Arthur hissed. "Just leave it."

"I don't see you sacrificing your cloak."

"My cloak keeps both of us warm and I can use the excess for bandages if we need it." Though Arthur hoped they wouldn't.

They were tied once more the horses and led like dogs, but Arthur kept a few paces ahead so he could hold his hands near his stomach. Merlin kept shooting him withering glares at walking so fast but once he caught up, he saw the Prince had a calculated look on his face and was eyeing him warily.

The manservant could almost read what was going on in his head. Arthur was silently asking him if he was ready to run and Merlin was most certainly not. In fact, he wasn't ready to take his next step. He tried shaking his head but Arthur shot him another look that warned him he better be, quickly.

"I need to relieve myself." Arthur stated clearly and a few of the guards snickered.

Their overly large and baled leader, Roland, barely glanced over his shoulder as he drawled, "Then by all means, relieve yourself."

"I will not do so whilst walking in such an undignified manner." Arthur scoffed. "If I am understanding this whole situation correctly, you intend to hold me for ransom, yes?"

Roland glanced at Arthur, finally paying heed to him. "Yes, _sire_." he said dryly.

"Well then, as the Rules of Ransom state, you cannot harm me and must treat me with the respect that I deserve in accordance to my station. I am still a Prince."

"A demanding one at that."

Arthur easily ignored that comment. "Then it is necessary to give me basic human needs such as bread, water and a dignified way to go to and from the bathroom. I understand that you are in charge of these men however treat me unfairly and dismiss the Laws of Royal Ransom and it will be your King who must go to war and your people who will die. All for the fact that it was you who did not allow me to relieve myself respectfully." He raised one eyebrow gracefully and Merlin had to wonder if he'd been channelling Gaius through that action and couldn't help but smirk.

"Fine." Roland growled. The party stopped as he commanded it and Roland turned to Arthur. "You've got five minutes."

Arthur nodded curtly then straightened his shoulders. "Merlin." he said, looking at his manservant. "Come with me."

Merlin frowned a little as Roland demanded, "Why do you need him?" Merlin almost wanted to ask the same.

Glaring, Arthur reiterated, "I'm a _prince_. I need assistance. Plus, I don't think you're untying my hands, are you?"

One of the men chortled and cried out, "If he wants assistance, let him have assistance. A prince who can't piss for himself… that's a new one."

The younger hostage was highly confused and a little put off, as Arthur deftly pushed him and himself passed all the men and into the forest towards a tree. Under his breath, Merlin whispered, "I'm not really going to help you pee, am I?"

"Don't be stupid." Arthur murmured back, barely moving his lips. "But you are going to undo my ropes."

Merlin understood then stood in front of Arthur, appearing as though he was undoing the Prince's lacing. Merlin was surprisingly adept at undoing the knots, two years of practice of untangling Arthur's chainmail helping him a great deal at getting it done quickly. Once Arthur's hands were free, the Prince undid Merlin's even quicker, knowing they had little time left. "Run." Arthur whispered to Merlin. "Get to Camelot. Tell them it's Odin's men. Go, now." Arthur shoved Merlin and it was all they needed for the guards to be on high alert.

"Oi!" One of them called out. "He's undone his ropes."

Without thinking anymore about it, Merlin bolted, thanking the Gods his first run was all-downhill. He briefly turned and saw Arthur with his dagger, already killing two of the guards but Merlin knew that wouldn't last long.

He swore and wanted to turn back, but his foot caught on something and he fell the rest of the way down, landing on his back as he reached the bottom. He looked up and saw Odin's men almost upon him and quickly scrambled up and ran back up the ravine on the other side. "Run Merlin!" he looked back and saw several of the men had grabbed Arthur and were hauling him back in ropes and he faltered. _I have to tell someone where Arthur is,_ he thought to himself.

The young manservant wanted to go back and save his prince but a second later, he felt something start to swipe at him and was forced to duck. He turned and saw a sword and yelped, his eyes flashing gold as he brought a branch down on his attackers head and he continued running.

Wind whipped through his hair as his aching legs beat against the ground. He could hear the men gaining on him and saw an arrow whiz passed. He panted for a second, but then swallowed back his tiredness and swerved so he'd be a harder target.

Between running and snaking between trees, Merlin could barely keep track of the world ahead of him, let along his feet. He tried with all his might to stay steady but he knew his lucky would wear out in the end and his feet toppled over a root and he found himself falling before he could steady himself.

He hit the ground and not a second later, the men were on top of him, literally. They kicked him, over and over. There were twelve of them and he was small and painful bruises blossomed all over. Merlin could barely draw breath and no one looked to be calling off the order. For a second he was convinced he was going to die but then he heard Roland's voice and despite everything, it was the greatest sound he'd ever heard.

"Step away." he called gruffly and all the men halted.

"Merlin?" he heard a pained whisper straight after and blearily opened his eyes as sweet painful oxygen filled his lungs and he saw Arthur staring at him in disbelief and pain. He thought that maybe Arthur had been hurt, but on closer inspection, apart from a cut lip he awas fine. _They can't hurt the Prince._ "It wasn't his fault. I made him."

"I know." Roland sneered. "But it doesn't stop the fact, we can't punish you." He hauled Arthur up a little further then threw the ropes at one of the men who had just been beating up Merlin. "Tie him up. We'll reach Isgard by tonight."

Hauled to his feet once more, in even more pain than he was from his achiness, Merlin coughed and spluttered dangerously, as the men retied him and tugged on his leash. "Sorry, Arthur." Merlin mumbled as they were being dragged away.

"No Merlin." Arthur said quietly, unsure of what the men had in mind but knowing it would be worse off for his manservant. "I'm sorry."

* * *

It was mid-afternoon when Morgause finally got out of formalities and had enough time to move around the castle unaided. Accolon was assisting the search under clear instructions from Morgause to simply be a set of eyes and ears for her and not do much else.

In the mean time, Morgause had spelled some half-wit servant with an easily manipulated mind to give her the exact location for Morgana's chambers and was attempting to locate the girl.

There were hundreds of plans that Morgause originally had to first contact Morgana, her only living relative whom she cared to meet, but most required magic and for Morgana to trust the craft, which, growing up in Camelot, she most likely didn't. Then she had been approached by Odin, an old acquaintance, having lived in his kingdom for a time with her mother, the Isle of the Blessed close to his borders.

He wished revenge on Arthur. Morgause couldn't care less what happened to the Golden Prince. But it occurred to her that should Arthur be in trouble, the entire Kingdom would be distracted enough for her to calmly gain time with her sister.

Just as she turned the corner she knew led into Morgana's room, Morgause was stopped by two guards. "Who goes there?" they asked.

"The Lady Morgause." she said, dipping her head. "My apologies, I seem to be lost but recognised Uther's ward, Morgana's rooms."

"Young Morgana is not to see anyone as she rests." one of the guards replied.

Morgause huffed slightly. "I was merely lost and looking for someone to help direct me and thought maybe Morgana could assist me."

"I can help you." he said sternly, taking Morgause's elbow lightly and guiding her away from the room. Morgause quite clearly knew she could overpower the guard and get to Morgana but that wasn't the way she had wanted to play this. She needed her sister to trust her and for her to trust her she had to play by Court Rules.

_… For now._

* * *

They reached the Mountains of Isgard by nightfall, as promised, and were even able to make it through them with little to no hassle. Most people didn't want to disturb a travelling group as large as they were, even if they were four men down, courtesy of Arthur.

As was the night before, Arthur and Merlin were deposited on the ground and tied to a tree, only this time they were separated.

Arthur didn't like it. His eyes kept darting over to where Merlin was huddled up and saw him watching the camp with hawk eyes as he unconsciously scratched at his shackles. His face contorted into one of rage and when Arthur looked, he saw what he was staring at. The man who had confiscated Merlin's dagger from Arthur was hacking away at a piece of bread with it, shaving off meats and using it as a utensil.

He couldn't fathom what was worse. The fact that he was using Merlin's family heirloom for such trivial things or the fact the soldier had only just washed his comrades blood from it after Arthur disposed of them. He wanted Merlin to look back at him, but his servant was refusing to meet his stare.

Occasionally he turned to look at Arthur, but never his face. He was just ensuring he was still there and still alive and Arthur couldn't help but get annoyed as Merlin's assessing gaze reminded him of the way the knights or his guards would look at him when they were trying to keep him out of harms way.

He wanted to explain to the idiot that he should be frightened for himself, the guards clearly having some sort of punishment in mind for their escape plan and Arthur knowing quite well they wouldn't hurt him. He was so aware of this fact that it made his heart hammer in fear, especially as he saw the men setting something up in the clearing.

In the carts they'd carried wood that Arthur assumed was for torches and fire, but now looking at it again he noticed the wood was sawed and sanded evenly. He frowned and watched as they set two pieces up to a point then added a third slack for support. After binding it, they tested its strength and set a rope to the top and Arthur knew.

He'd seen it before, the makeshift pole. It wasn't desirable and it pulled on the shoulders more because it bounced, yanking on the wrists too. "No, no, no…" he whispered desperately, looking around for something else.

Merlin had yet to realise what they were making, still studying it and considering it was to set above the fire to hang a pot from but realised it was far too big for that. It was when he saw the whip, one, tipped with stones did Merlin understand and his ears drew back in panic as he _finally _turned to Arthur and stared at him desperately. "Don't do this." Arthur warned loudly, as he saw Merlin's fear. "I'll do anything. Give you anything." he started kicking to pull against his chains but he was bound too tight and everyone was ignoring him.

Two of the larger men went and grabbed Merlin, unleashing him of his chains but not his cuffs. He tried to fight, kicking and lashing out at them but they were two large men against a boy of fourteen and easily picked him up off the ground. "Arthur!" he shouted out but there was nothing that the Prince could do but watch in horror.

He felt someone come up behind him and he was dragged to his feet, unhooked of his chains but still cuffed like Merlin. "Come on Princeling. Let's see just how much you really care for this servant of yours."

Arthur didn't struggle or rush, keeping a steady pace and a firm gaze on Merlin as his hands were dragged above his head and the chains were tied between the wooden slacks with thick rope. Catching Arthur's eye again, Merlin conveyed all his fear but the Prince prepared his face into one of resolute determination. He tried to force his bravery into Merlin, tried to make him feel nothing but strength and warmth but his shirt yanked over his head, covering his face and erasing all the steady work Arthur was accomplishing.

Blinded, Merlin could only feel and sense things and with the cuffs around his wrist, he couldn't use magic no matter how desperately he tried. His skin was starting to itch the more he tried forcing magic through the cuffs, but it was already much too late.

The first strike came down so hard that Merlin though his back was going to break. The whip was long and used for forcing slaves to march. It wasn't designed to be a brutal weapon for death, but one to force prisoners along. It still maimed the skin, but in single perfected slivers rather than brutish wild lashings, control the pain. He didn't realise he'd screamed until he felt the tear in his throat. He silenced himself with a stammer as the second blow met his back and cracked like lightning.

The suddenness made his choke on air, as he couldn't draw breath quick enough. His knees gave out underneath him and he scrambled to get back up as his shoulders were stretched by the rope, pulling apart the two long thin scars that crossed awkwardly over his small back. The shirt yanked from over his eyes, and the man with the whip just angrily tucked it into itself on the nape of Merlin's neck.

The third one, Merlin _almost_ gave up. He thought he hadn't fought all that hard to begin with as the lash crossed from his shoulder to the small on his back, tearing through the first two lashes in a perfectly morbid line. He felt his throat tear apart but was suddenly deaf to all noise from the blinding pain.

Another crack and his vision became tunnelled. His blue eyes squared in on Arthur, the prince with a set jaw and unforgiving hatred over his features. Merlin could almost swear he'd dreamt of this before, but when his blurred vision cleared, he saw Arthur's hatred was hidden to all but him, the markers such as his jaw and fiery eyes something Merlin only picked up from his years of service. The hatred was also burning towards someone else, outside of Merlin's tunnel vision.

And Arthur was angry.

He kept furiously silent through out the whole thing, stifling every shout, every protest and every cry he had wanted to let erupt from his chest knowing it would only give Odin's men satisfaction. Instead he pushed it deep down, letting it coil in his stomach and roll over into heated untameable anger. His heart hammered painfully as the whip came down on Merlin's back for fifth time and the young manservant fell to his knees, trembling and choking on tears.

The sixth lash came quickly after and Merlin howled out Arthur's name, though Arthur was quite certain he wasn't aware of it, the boy still trying to drag himself up. The men looked to Arthur, grinning and waiting to see his response but Arthur just scowled back at them, daring them to take him on. _How I wish to murder them all, one by one… _But while the fury remained on his face, he erased the agony.

The last two lashes had Arthur's lips bleeding, as he bit the skin just inside his mouth straight through, trying not to react. But the way Merlin was crying out, he knew that it was nothing compared to what should be happening to him. It was Arthur's stupid idea, Arthur's stupid plan. He couldn't help but go through every hostage situation Frenwyn and Ector had gone through with him and they always said if they had another with them, let that man protect him for Arthur was the Prince and it was that man's sworn duty to keep him safe.

But Arthur didn't think that Frenwyn and Ector had counted on Arthur getting kidnapped with his lazy, good-for-nothing, hapless… kind, sweet and innocent manservant.

"That's enough." Roland shouted and the lashes ceased and the man withdrew Merlin's own dagger to cut him free from his binds. The unsharpened tool made Merlin shake with the sawing of the rope and he fell forward onto his stomach, sprawled out on the dirt and unable to get up.

The men who had all been staring at Arthur, waiting to watch him suffer all scowled angrily, disappointed to miss out on their own sick pleasures. One of them picked Merlin up carelessly and tossed him at Arthur, taking no precaution for his back. "Let your prince take care of you. If he cares at all." The man, rattled form the lack of reaction on Arthur's behalf.

Arthur had no time to get up off his knees and caught Merlin as he fell on him, accidentally touching his blood slick back and his fingers clenching over one of the eight long thin scars. Merlin whimpered, arching away from Arthur's touch and into Arthur himself so the Prince quickly corrected his grip, one hand on the nape of his neck, scrunching up the material so it, hopelessly, didn't get more stained and the other around his hip where the lashes didn't touch, as Merlin slumped over him. As he fell apart in his hold, Arthur's anger disappeared from within him and all he was left with was horror.

Merlin trembled like a leaf and felt as though he could shatter like one too, sobbing into his shoulder from the pain and completely unaware of what he was doing. One of his arms was draped over Arthur's shoulder, the other hand uselessly between them and he felt the fingers try and curl up around his knee to grip something but fell limply as he shuddered.

Another guard came and roughly yanked at Merlin's arms to chain him to the tree with Arthur once more and elicited two moans from him as they twisted the metal around the overly chaffed skin so they could adjust the chains appropriately. _He must fidget with them as he sleeps,_ Arthur though, spotting the red burns.

When the men were at far enough of a distance, Arthur quickly lost his warrior-hardened attitude and guided Merlin down to the earth to lie him down on his stomach. There was a lot of blood. Not enough to kill him. Arthur had seen a lot more blood on flogged victims and he knew how much he needed to see to be worried. The whip wasn't nearly as abrasive as it could have been, constructed to cause the most amount of pain with the least amount of damage. Merlin's back didn't worry him but not enough to think he would die. _Well he might still from infection…_

The water skin Merlin had forcefully shoved at him in the morning was still hidden in his cloak and Arthur quickly tugged it out. He helped Merlin ease his shirt up and over his head and bunched it up around his wrists, unable to take it off around the chains. Merlin shivered and Arthur noted something about shock and looked to the fire the men had lit enviously. He made sure no one saw him as he poured the water over Merlin's back and cleaned where the knot had split the skin. "Merlin…" he mumbled hopelessly and his hands were shaking as he washed the blood off his pale back.

Between the thick red ridges and the marred flesh, Merlin's skin was freakishly pale and almost grey. "Merlin?" he nudged his manservant's shoulder and he barely moved or acknowledged him, hands above his head and small whimpers shaking him every now and then.

There was a little water left in the bladder and Arthur moved Merlin's head so he could drink it then discarded the canister. After a moment of hesitation, Arthur laid down next to Merlin, arm under him to prop up his head and stared at his manservant's face from a small distance, scrunched up, pale and sweaty. "Merlin?" He reached over and took his arm, squeezing it. _Open your eyes, open your eyes…_

He did and Arthur found fury emblazoned beneath his lids. He recoiled and shuddered that Merlin was angry with him. "I'm sorry." Arthur said honestly. "That… I didn't think they'd do this… I didn't think they'd catch you. And… and the dagger-"

Merlin growled in a low voice, the tears still running down his cheeks from pain and said, "I don't want to talk… I need sleep." Arthur's shoulder's deflated as he stared hopelessly at his manservant.

"Don't be mad." Arthur found himself begging and he wasn't quite sure why. He was a prince, for crying out loud! Why was he begging his servant for forgiveness? But the thought of his mother's ring dangling on Merlin's neck and Merlin's father's dagger, now in the hands of the greasy man who had whipped him, made the guilt bubble up in Arthur even more. "Just tell me you're not mad."

Merlin didn't reply to him but did silently curse their captors who chained him despite the fact he clearly couldn't go anywhere. There was an itching on his skin and he couldn't even lift his hands to numb it. The chains restraining his magic were turning into a physical effect and he was feeling queasy and his skin was on fire and not just because of the lashes.

He turned his head away from Arthur and rested on his side, the bruising on his stomach from the earlier kicking was aggravated by the rocky surface of the ground beneath them. Every part of him ached but all he kept thinking about was his dagger, lodged between that mans skin and belt and the way he had simply buttered his greasy bread with it like it meant nothing.

The physical pain was too much for him and when he shifted slightly as his back started to itch, he hit his hip on a rock and muffled his whimpers with his fist pressed against his mouth. He heard a rustling of material and armour from behind him and then an arm pressed gently on his shoulder. "At least let me do something for your back." Arthur said as gently as was humanly possible for him.

Seeing as his pack with all the medical equipment he had was gone and clearly the water too, Merlin was uncertain of what Arthur was offering but turned his head up to see that the Prince had set his cloak out over the ground like a bedroll, bunching it up in one area. With a great deal of tenderness that Merlin hadn't known Arthur was capable of, he helped Merlin move so he was lying flat on his torso over the soft padding of the cloak, with his head on Arthur's lap.

Arthur set himself back against the tree and sat propped up. "If you need anything, just wake me."

Merlin nodded and was about to close his eyes when he thought of something. "Arthur? It's not your fault… the dagger. I'm not mad at you. I'm just… in pain." He tried to smile but it was much too forced. "Imagine me sick… but worse"

"Okay." Arthur nodded and slid his hand into Merlin's hair and rested it there as he didn't know what else to say or do. The manservant didn't see the prince nod, nor did he see how he gritted his teeth together to stop himself from crying. "Okay." he repeated, trying to accept the words of forgiveness himself.

* * *

The next morning was brutal. The same guard who'd whipped Merlin dragged him to his feet and Arthur woke up to his hand falling out of his manservant's hair. "Up. We have another long day."

Merlin moaned as a shirt was thrown at him and he couldn't even drag his arms through it while the chains were on. He fell forward and Arthur got up and caught him quickly before he touched the ground. "He can't move." Arthur snapped.

"Fine. Then we leave him here."

Arthur's grip on Merlin tightened unconsciously. "No. You can't."

"Then he walks." The man snarled, undoing the chains. Merlin slumped more as the chains were taken off him and his wrists were blistered from chaffing. He staggered then stood up on his own two feet.

"I'll walk." Merlin mumbled, though he didn't look like he had a chance crawling. Arthur helped him put his shirt back on and tried to ignore the whimpering when the scratchy material touched his back. Since Arthur had last bought him clothes, Merlin had grown again and had replaced the shirts with that horrible nettle-like material again. He secured Merlin's jacket around his waist and then watched every movement the man made as the ropes were wrapped around his burnt wrists.

They were being dragged along not soon after, Arthur walking steadily alongside the stumbling Merlin. He let his lead be tugged whenever he stopped to help Merlin along and sent death glares whenever Merlin's was yanked too, memorising the faces so he could later kill them.

It was half way through the day when Merlin dropped to his knees and wretched the little bit of bread and meat he had in his stomach and then promptly tried to pass out in it before Arthur grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him back to his knees. "Wait a minute." he called out to the men, who all looked impatient as they were forced to stop.

The Prince knelt down and Merlin was leaning heavily on him, his back on Arthur's chest, bleeding through both their shirts. "Arthur?" Merlin looked up at Arthur, eyes hollow and skin slicked with sweat. "I don't think I'm going to make it." Their lead was tugged roughly and both boys lurched forward.

"Wait one minute!" he shouted, losing his temper momentarily. He huffed and looked back down at Merlin, ignoring the rest. He tried to think and organise a train of thought. "How much further?" Arthur asked out loud to no one in particular.

Roland growled, "I don't think you can request such knowledge, sire."

Arthur sneered, "Fine." He almost threw his hands up into the air but stopped himself and settled for glaring at the leader. "Fine. I will carry him then."

Merlin clambered his hand up and stilled it on Arthur's arm. "Forget…"

"Untie him and I'll carry him." Arthur said, cutting Merlin off. "The rest of the way. No stopping. Just untie him so I can put him over my back."

The men looked at each other warily and finally nodded and agreed. They untied Merlin's arms and then untied Arthur's too and rebound the rope around his neck. "If you slow down and choke, all you've got to do is drop him." Roland grinned.

Arthur said nothing and ignored the rope altogether as he stood Merlin up before kneeling down again with Merlin just behind his back. "Wrap your arms around my neck." Arthur said quietly.

"Just leave me…" Merlin murmured, wavering on his feet.

"Shut up and do as I say." Arthur hissed and soon enough, he had no choice, collapsing forward and Arthur catching him on his back. He secured Merlin's arms around his shoulders, hoisted his hands underneath his manservant's thighs and stood. He was tired and his legs and shoulders burnt with the added weight but he used his knight training to push it all aside and carry his burden.

Merlin's head was buried in the back of his neck and was breathing sharply. "Thank you." he murmured and Arthur felt it on his skin more than heard it. Merlin's hand crept up his chest and lodged itself between the rope and Arthur's neck. He tugged at it, loosening it and then weakly held it so if it did tighten, Arthur wouldn't choke.

"You're welcome." Arthur said lowly so no one else would hear. Whilst he was paying attention to Merlin's thanks, Merlin understood it was Arthur's way of returning the sentiment, even though he didn't plan on slowing and letting them treat him like an untrained dog.

He felt Merlin say something else on his skin, but this time couldn't understand him. Moments after though, he felt his core strengthen and Merlin's weight become lighter and didn't relate the two occurrences together. All he knew was that his manservant's breathing evened out soon after that indicating Merlin was asleep on his back and he was comforted by the fact he was at least separated from the pain by consciousness.

* * *

They reached a clearing just before evening and they set up camp for what Arthur assumed would be the final night. He was thrown a water skin and only enough food for one, sneering at Merlin in a clear indication they knew he wouldn't last much longer. He watched the man depart and heard one of them cheer, "We'll be home before breakfast if we leave at dawn!" And a cheer ran out through the camp.

Arthur just wanted to pass out, but it wasn't an option. Not for the prince. Not when his manservant was so badly injured. "Merlin." he roused him gently, not wanting to just drop him. "Get up you useless idiot." He shrugged his shoulders and Merlin groaned as he was woken.

"Arthur?" he mumbled. "What… oh." The memories must have come rushing back to him and he slumped forward once again.

"I need to put you down now, so unless you want to fall back…" He loosened his grip on Merlin's legs painfully, his muscles stiff from staying in one position for so long. Merlin's legs slackened and he was standing, but leaning heavily against Arthur's back for a moment before pushing himself up.

Arthur turned just in time to catch Merlin as he went to pass out and lowered him to the ground. The head rush passed as Arthur set him up on his stomach and awkwardly used a stone to prop his feet up. "Keep the blood around your heart." Arthur explained and Merlin just nodded as Arthur settled beside him.

The food scraps Merlin hadn't eaten on the first night were shoved in his pocket and while the meat couldn't be had, he did shove the bread in his mouth, logically knowing he had to eat if he was going to carry Merlin around for another day. He ate as much as he could to keep his strength and left enough for Merlin to stay alive, balancing the two precariously.

"Arthur…" Merlin grabbed his arm. "You can leave me."

"Don't be stupid." Arthur looked over to the camp and then back at Merlin. "I'm trying to save your life here, the least you could do is be grateful."

"Sorry, sire." Merlin gritted out as he tried to move the pressure off his ribs. "I'll be more appropriately indebted later, when maybe my entire body isn't throbbing." Arthur helped him move himself so his head was on Arthur's thigh and, without even realising what he was doing, Arthur ran a hand through his manservants hair. "They haven't… tied us up." Merlin panted, the small moving using up his maximum effort.

"They know you can't move and I'm too exhausted to carry you. By now they've also realised I'm not leaving without you. It's more an act of them showing us how hopeless we are. If we try to run, we won't get very far and they'll punish you again." Merlin flinched and Arthur tensed his fingers on Merlin's scalp. "Don't worry. I won't let them."

It was more the memory of the pain that had Merlin flinching. Should it save Arthur from the same hurt, Merlin was quite willing to go through it again, but it didn't mean it wasn't terrifying. "You should run." Merlin said, his nose pressed into Arthur's trouser legs, unable to move it further. He could only see his prince from one eye, the other watching the horizon cast by Arthur's leg. "Now that you have a chance. Go."

"I won't leave you." he said fiercely.

"I'm not asking you to. I'm telling you. Go." Merlin tried to look as serious as he could. "You are Prince Arthur. You need to run. If you get away, you can send someone back for me."

"Do you really think you'll survive that long?"

Merlin didn't. In fact, he didn't think he was going to survive much longer whether or not Arthur ran. His wounds were going to become infected, he could already feel the itching and even if they didn't, as soon as they got to their destination, there was no need to keep insurance on Arthur and Merlin was convinced they'd kill him. "Go." he murmured.

Arthur scratched his head softly and said, "Sleep Merlin. I'll figure something by morning."

Panting, Merlin used up the last of his energy stores to glare at Arthur. "Go, Arthur. Why can't you just go?"

With a small frown between his eyes, Arthur actually smiled at Merlin. "Because I won't leave you behind." It was the last thing Merlin heard before he fell asleep again, relaxed by Arthur's fingers rubbing his scalp. When he was certain Merlin wouldn't wake, Arthur laid down, adjusting Merlin until his head was on his stomach and keeping his hand in his hair so he could feel if he was moved. _We'll be there by breakfast… _He thought to himself and in his mind he was already making a speech to somehow have Merlin cared for while he was being held hostage… _if_ he was being held hostage. Arthur had no idea what was going on.

* * *

*A favourite was a term of a person who was not necessarily of nobility or of a higher status, but was close to the Prince/King/Queen etc. They were often – but not always – lovers. They were advisors and confidants and often could get away with a lot from being so important to the ruler. During sixteenth and seventeenth century, they were mostly executed or used as a political chess piece amongst nobility who wished to threaten or harm their 'owners'… awkward.


	34. Price of Murder

**A/N: **Random titbit: I don't wear fake nails. I grow my own and shellac them… (my friend stole a few of the shellac kits from her work, so it is brilliant) I equally love and hate when I break a nail because on one hand, my nails take a god-awful time to grow. On the other, it is the only time I can exclaim 'Oh my God, I broke a nail!' and actually get a reaction… People think I'm serious and it's funny because I'm a tomboy who is pretty addicted to her Assassin's Creed/Skyrim/COD/Fifa… Don't mind me... (OH MY GOD I broke a nail!)**Bubzchoc, **thanks! **Bundibird, **WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! You were last around ten chapters ago! LoL... Glad you're caught up. I'm sorry I killed Ector but I don't understand the word 'IATING'... And there's a bit more Kay angst in the next chap... Leon's there too! :) **PyroET, **thank you very much. Uther isn't that big at the moment... His negative light comes out more in Letters but it will more in this story too... Trust me, it's coming. **Die Schreiber, **no, thank you for reading and reviewing. **CrazilyObsessed, **that is the biggest compliment to me, because there's not much in this world I love more than sleep... I was reminded, the other reason why I used Camille instead Daronwy (the other crazy lover of Arthur) was because I was already planning on using Maleagant whose name means 'malificus' which means ill doing and... Ill doing... Came... Ill... :/ I thought it was cool. :) **Distressed Clover, **Hell first. Though hell is next chapter... And as for Morgana and Morgause... Be worried. Be very worried. **gorgeousangel, **I think I explained it... They put magic suppressing cuffs on him at nights when he thought they could escape and during the day, he didn't want to get caught. **mrlnfan, **thank you! I would not say amazing, but I'm flattered you think so. We shall see about their escape... (hmm) **IndiaMoore, **I love whump, but I didn't want to make an entire story of whump... So this is where I will get rid of all of my whump needs... :) **CG07, **thank you! Have I updated soon enough? **TN Sarah, **Morgana and Merlin have heard your wishes and prayers. I have too and have updated. **Felicity P, **I like whump... Thank you for loving this. It loves you in return. And that was a wonderful review! :)

* * *

**Price of Murder**

It had been two days and no one had sent word for a ransom for Arthur. Uther was getting severely agitated and all patrols had ceased to concentrate on finding the Prince. No one discussed anything with him but the whereabouts of his son and Uther was quite willing to run his entire kingdom like that for decades, until Arthur showed up safe again.

"My lord," Uther looked up and saw Accolon standing by the door, his head bowed with respect and his favourite, the blonde woman with striking eyes the colour of rich earth.

"Prince Accolon and the Lady Morgause" Uther replied. "What brings you to the Council Chambers?"

Stepping through with light feet, Accolon looked to his favourite, waving her in front of him. "Sire," she said with a polite bow. "If I may, it is about your ward. I noticed two nights previous her distress at the situation with the Prince and his kidnapping."

Uther sighed and thought of his ward, the apple of his eye. He loved Morgana as much as he did Arthur, there was no doubt about that, and seeing her in such pain over this situation with Arthur was painful. She wasn't able to leave her room, her distress turning into madness as she yelled and screamed her terrible dreams, convinced they were reality.

"I fear it has caused her a great deal of alarm." Uther glanced at his gloves and felt his age for the first time in years.

"Well, not to overstep, sire, but I was in a very similar situation when I was not much older than her." Morgause's eyes turned hard as she spoke. "My mother and my youngest sister were… taken from me and I feel that maybe, I could help the young Morgana through this."

With a long exasperated sigh, Uther shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not that simple."

"If this is about her nightmares, I have had a similar problem." Morgause twisted her bracelet self-consciously, tilting her head down and Uther leant forward curiously. "I have had… horrible nightmares. They came when I just a little younger than Morgana. I believe I can help her."

Uther blinked. "How?"

"I have mastered a way to sleep dreamlessly. It simply requires deep concentration." Morgause looked imploringly up Uther. "I can teach her how to control her dreams, if you allow it of course."

The King considered this for a moment and nodded. "If it will help her, please. It would be greatly appreciated."

Morgause smiled thinly and nodded. "It will be my honour, sire."

* * *

Arthur was yanked to his knees and came crashing down with Merlin on his back as the boys were dragged through the ruined castle on Arthur's belly. He hissed and Merlin yelped as Arthur grabbed hold of the rope and held on to stop himself from being choked. Merlin had eased his arm between Arthur's neck once more which gave him enough time, but his chainmail was being forced into his ribs painfully and chaffed. "Hold on." Arthur gritted to Merlin.

"Don't really have a choice." Merlin replied.

The horses that were dragging the boys stopped and they both let out a sigh of relief, Arthur resting his head on the dirt for a moment as he panted. "Are you alright?" Merlin asked.

"Fine." he winced. "Can you get off my back now?"

Merlin started pushing himself up but he was pushed down by a hand on his back and his forehead slammed painfully with the back of Arthur's head. "Nope. Doesn't look like it."

"We got here before breakfast." Roland commented. "You'll both be taken to the dungeons and then the king shall see you. Now get up." The ropes were dragged and Arthur did choke, Merlin's arm squeezing against his neck.

Merlin unhooked his hands and rolled off Arthur, the Prince kneeling and helping his manservant to his feet.

He finally got to look around and he knew where they were, able to find their location on any map of Albion. It was the ancient citadel of Odin's lands that had been conquered and destroyed and moved to the coastline where the only attacks that could be made were from the land, the lands beyond the sea unknown. The city was called Druin, if he remembered correctly, and was last ruled over five hundred years ago by a King named Herod.

He saw there were enough men around to make the old ruins seem like a working castle, but filled with mercenaries and hit men. _Does father know about this armed fortress so close to the border?_

Before he could think anything else, they were dragged deep below the castle and thrown into a cell with no light and Merlin fell to his knees inside. He helped him around until he was sitting. Merlin, while not in best shape, did look better than he had the previous morning. His lashes had scarred and looked like they were healing, but he was still in a great deal of pain.

The door shut behind them and they were plundered into pitch, not even a crack beneath the iron that bound them in and Merlin gasped like he was choking. Remembering where he was, Arthur reached out and steadied him, just making out his outlines. "Breathe, just breathe deeply. In and out, Merlin. In and out."

He followed instructions and Arthur felt him shifting off his neckerchief in the dark as he whispered, "Gods, why?"

Arthur frowned, though it was lost on his manservant as neither could see their own hand in front of their faces. "What are you on about?" he asked.

"Nothing… it's nothing." But it wasn't nothing. He had thought, when they took the magic proof cuffs off him, that Merlin would be able to plan an escape to get them both out of there using magic, but he'd gone out of the saucepan and into the fire, it seemed, the entire room blocking his magic. _It's those damn runes!_ He couldn't see them but he could feel them, more powerful than the cuffs and his whole body buckled underneath the weight of it. Merlin shifted and Arthur felt him move uncomfortably beside him but only the younger knew why. "What do you think the King is going to do?" he panted out.

"Send a ransom to my father… or maybe another kingdom. I don't know." Arthur rubbed his face. "If I slept until they got us, would you keep watch?"

"It's pitch dark. What would you like me to see?"

"_Mer_lin."

His head was forcibly shoved down onto Merlin's lap and his cloak bundled up and slid underneath his head. "Sleep. You need it." A hand carded through Arthur's hair and, at first, the Prince was uncomfortable with it and frowned. But as it lifted from his hair he felt like telling Merlin he hadn't asked him to stop, until of course it rested itself once more in its beginning position and started the action again.

An overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude seeped out of him towards his manservant and he could only be happy for the darkness so that it wouldn't show on his face. Tiredly, he closed his eyes and he fell asleep quite quickly, only to be woken what felt like seconds later to the door jarring open and light flooding through.

Merlin jolted then went to wake him but Arthur had already grabbed hold of his wrist and stood up in front of Merlin, protectively. Merlin couldn't get up, his body too weak to move and he couldn't coordinate his limbs. "Take him." Roland said, his head snapping to Arthur. "The other one stays here."

Before any of the guards could approach Arthur, the Prince turned and grabbed his petrified manservant's face in both hands. "Merlin. Listen to me. Do whatever they say and don't argue or fight back. It will only make things worse." Merlin only just managed to nod before Arthur's arms were yanked away from him and he flew back. His manservant got up to help him but was kicked back down by a second guard and curled up into a ball. "Don't fight!" Arthur shouted again as he was being pulled to the door. "Just do whatever they say and be good. I'll be back. If something happens to me, run but I won't leave without you!"

The younger went to stand but was shoved up against the wall by the same guard who had kicked him and was held there. Arthur had no idea what happened after that as the door was viciously closed and all he could hear was a scream. "Merlin!" he shouted, kicking his legs out from underneath him, but the only thing that happened was him being yanked harder.

He growled and tried fighting and, as a testament to his strength and determination, four men had to drag Arthur away, up the stairs and up to a tower. He wondered where he was being taken but found himself being thrown into a set of chambers not dissimilar to his own but smaller. There were also no windows, only holes in the wall and one placed above the bed that dipped into the bricks and burrowed down. From it, he could hear strange sounds though he had no idea what they were. He looked around nervously as he was thrown onto the bed and four swords came up to his neck before he could turn to attack.

Hands behind him holding him up on the mattress, he kept his knees up ready to pounce. Roland walked in and just behind him came a man Arthur had not seen for over three years.

The King of the South had aged dramatically since the last time Arthur had seen him, his hair growing longer and greyer and his beard unkempt. His eyes were hollow and dark, almost black without sunlight to show their browns. "Prince Arthur." Odin grinned. "I hope your journey wasn't difficult."

Arthur got into a more dignified position, sliding slowly to the edge of the bed to show he meant not harm. When he stood, he didn't let his guard down, entire body taut and ready for a fight. "Why am I here?" he growled.

Odin smirked, "Why else would you be here, Arthur? What is the story that binds us?"

"Luka challenged me to a fight." Arthur said lowly.

"_Do not_," Odin snapped, his eyes becoming wild with fury and anger, "Speak his name." Each word held fire and sounded out on their own and should Arthur have been lesser of a man, he would have shrunken back. But he wasn't and he couldn't be. He thought of Merlin in the dungeons and how he needed to be strong for him.

Straightening his shoulders and calming his face, Odin spoke, "Now. I cannot kill you… yet. I am forbidden from hurting you at all. But I will have my fun." Odin stepped forward to Arthur, invading his space. "I am not holding you ransom, young Prince, I am holding you hostage until someone else has infiltrated Camelot and taken your crown. And when that is done, when I get word that you are no longer necessary, I will slit your neck myself." Odin pressed Arthur in a chokehold with his gloved hands and the blonde prince struggled to breathe as darkness glint in the king's eyes.

"But for now, I will hold you to your station." He threw Arthur back on the bed and he gasped for a moment, sweet oxygen filling his lungs. "You will be treated to the finest meals we can offer, three times a day no less, these comforts and surroundings and of course, your own manservant." For a second Arthur thought he meant Merlin and relief flooded him that he could see his young manservant, but the man who had whipped Merlin, carrying his blade in his sheath. He sneered and then waved kindly.

"I want Merlin to serve me." Arthur said confidently, though his voice was sprained from Odin's hand.

"Now, now, I cannot risk that. You would plot an escape with the boy, surely." Odin shook his head and sighed in a placating manner. "No, I can't risk that, Prince Arthur and I can't hurt you either. But there is something I can do." he looked at one of the guards and nodded his head. The man left as the King stared at Arthur, waiting for something that was already unnerving Arthur.

They all heard a slam and Arthur turned his head to the hole in the wall, frowning. "You see, my Prince, this is a very special room that we keep for very special prisoners." Odin pointed around. "You will see there are no windows. This room is directly above the dungeons and, more specifically, connected to the dungeon your young servant is being held in."

Arthur looked at the closest hole and heard a sickeningly familiar voice moan, "What are you doing? Get away from me!"

_Merlin,_ he thought horribly. "I can't hurt you but him…" he trailed off and half a heartbeat later there was the sound of a cry of horror.

"Merlin!" he shouted, unable to keep his fear inside any more. He ran to the hole and no one stopped him as he tilted his head inside which only made the sounds of someone being pummelled deafening. "Merlin!" he screamed down the box shaped tunnel and shook. "Merlin!" When there was no reply, he spun around and glared at the king. "What are you doing to him? He's done nothing wrong. He doesn't deserve this!"

"My son didn't deserve death." Odin growled and lunged forward, throwing Arthur up against the wall with his ear tilted into the opening that was carrying up Merlin's heart aching cries. "Now I'm not allowed to hurt you or harm you but I was told nothing about any guests you might have with you." Arthur turned his head in horror as he could hear punches and kicks being landed on flesh. "You can hear him, but he can't hear you and I actually hope that you will be here for a long while, forced to listen as he is tortured and maimed whilst you are helpless to do anything about it." Odin's lip curled furiously. "Just as I am forced to live through the torture of my sons death every second of every aching breath I take."

Arthur gritted his teeth and glared at the King. "If you want to do die, I'll be more than happy to oblige if you will give me back my sword."

Odin chuckled and punched Arthur across the face, leaving him to fall to the ground. "Well, I must hope the Lady Morgause doesn't get too mad at me for that little… slip."

Arthur growled and tired lunging for the King, but he was forced back against the wall and his mouth was forced open with sausage fists clambering around to widen his jaw. Then, without his permission a potion was forced down his gullet and Arthur choked on it at first before he was being forced to drink.

When the whole potion was down he spluttered a little, but the effects were immediate. His knees buckled and he slid down the wall once more, but this time, he stayed there and couldn't get up, his entire form feeling like lead. "Now, behave little Prince." Odin grinned. "Or else what happens to your servant will be the least of your worries." And with that, Odin took his men and left Arthur alone on the floor, feeling nauseas and most definitely concussed.

A muffled sob from above his head made him groan and look up to the hole and groaned. "Merlin…" he begged but then fell into oblivion as the hit to his head and the drug won out.

* * *

Morgana gasped and sat up, grabbing at her leg as shoot pains enveloped it from her hip down. She turned her head and started to scream when two hands wrapped around her shoulders and dragged her up into the arms they belonged to. "Hush, now. It was just a dream. It was just a dream…"

"Merlin." Morgana sobbed and she opened her eyes to see blonde locks in her vision and, like every other night from the last two weeks since Arthur's disappearance, Morgause was there to calm her tears, taking up residence in her antechambers.

Morgause slid her hand through Morgana's hair and had to wonder who in the name of the Triple Goddess, Merlin was as Morgana quickly forgot and Morgause never tried to ask, nor did she particularly care. Whatever dreams this Merlin was causing was getting Morgana to trust her, seek out comfort from her and now they were inseparable. "My dearest, do not worry." Morgause kissed her forehead as Morgana sobbed more. "It was just a dream. Just a silly little dream."

Morgana sobbed harder and clutched onto her. "But what if it's not?"

"But it is, it is." Morgause rocked her back and forth then slid a hand through her hair and secured her grip enough to pull her back just enough so their foreheads could rest together.

"I want Arthur to come back." Morgana sobbed and there was something left unsaid, a heavily guarded secret her sister – who didn't know she was her sister – wouldn't tell her. She stared out to the stars and her eyes were fixed on something in the sky but Morgause could never tell what it was.

In regards to Arthur, the search parties were now more prepared to find the Prince's body than the Prince himself and Accolon's trackers had been rendered useless when rain washed away all the tracks clear. The men still joined in on the search, but Morgause corrupted all of them with her magic and ordered them to destroy anything that could lead them to the prince.

That was why, when Accolon found a strange small scarf with the name 'ODIN' written on it in blood, she felt pride blossom in her chest. "My dear," Morgause turned her attentions back to Morgana. "I am sorry that my method of concentration has not been working, but I have an alternative."

It wasn't completely true. For the first few days, Morgana had been able to sleep peacefully and the King had been glad for Morgause's help and Accolon and his men's help in the search. But then, when the King's focus had solely turned to tracking down his son, Morgause let the spell she'd held over Morgana slip and the dreams were back at full force.

But the High Priestess knew what she was doing.

Morgana was broken, at her worst. She had a small tasting of normality before it was yanked away from her much too quickly and her dreams came back worse than before and now she was looking for the miracle that only Morgause could provide. "Al- Alternative?" Morgana looked up tentatively, her green eyes shining. "What alternative?"

Stroking her cheek, Morgause smiled and whispered, "Magic."

The word sent Morgana reeling, pulling away from the blonde and colliding into her headboard. She stared at Morgause fearfully and the blonde put her hands up in innocence. "Magic is forbidden in Camelot." Morgana whispered back, frightfully but something glimmered in Morgana's eyes and Morgause caught onto that flash of emotion and found Morgana's eyes flickering to the sky once again.

"Not all magic is evil, just like not all fire is deadly." Morgause inched forward and though Morgana tried to keep distance between them, she had nowhere left to go, the wall behind her back. "Yes, some fire destroys and kills but…" she leant over and picked up the candle on the bedside and smiled. "Sometimes magic lights the way and keeps us safe, does it not?"

She stared at the candle reluctantly then back at the sky. She shook her head. "Uther says-"

"Uther doesn't know what he's talking about." Morgause snapped and Morgana's face that had readily calmed was back to one rigid with fright. The blonde, not used to dealing with children, softened her features and reached out, stroking her hair once more. "I don't mean big magic. I don't want you to contact a sorcerer and ask for their help, I am merely suggesting a small charm. A ward, if you will." From her wrist, Morgause slid her bracelet off, the one blessed for her mother's visions and that had the sigil of the House of Goloris upon it. "Here. Take this. Wear it. It will protect you."

Morgana looked up at Morgause, the woman who she'd grown to trust and began to see like a mother. It had been so long since Morgana had, had a mother. She had vague recollections of her from before she had passed when she was only three years old, but none of it was very prominent. All she could confirm was that she had her mother's looks, as she looked nothing like her father.

She pulled the bracelet up to her gaze that immediately washed her with calm and the soft scent of lilac, and murmured, "What is this?"

"It belonged to my mother." Morgause replied easily, stroking Morgana's hair and tucking a loose strand behind her ear. "She was much the same as you. Suffered from intolerable nightmares. This bracelet is gifted with a spell that will stop you dreaming."

Morgana stared in awe and the thing and then back at Morgause. "But if Uther finds out I am resorting to magic…!"

"Who will find out unless we tell?" Morgause asked, grinning like a child would. "It will help you." Morgause promised. She helped Morgana to lie down once again "Trust me, my dear. Sleep now and you will not have a nightmare. It will be the best sleep you have had since you were a baby."

Morgana batted her eyes in confusion but Morgause whispered a spell to put her into a gentle sleep and soon after, she was breathing evenly with closed eyes. Morgause stroked her sister's hair and smiled. "Oh, my dearest Morgana… You and I are going to rule Camelot together and when that happens, not even dreams will stop us."

* * *

**A/N: **I'm updating tomorrow... actually, really am this time! (I'm proof reading it as we speak... read... I REALLY NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT!)

P.S. Thank you to the 50, 000 + views this story has had... Interesting enough, the chapter with the most views other than the first chapter (which I think is mainly me when I try and read reviews and always hit the story first) is chapter 15 which makes me confused... but I'll go with it!

REVIEW?!


	35. Memories trapped in Cages

**A/N: **If you were to take this whole saga as a TV series, this chapter would be the closest thing to a flashback episode you would get. Some will be flashbacks from things I've written from a new perspective, some will be things I couldn't put in because of time etc. All will be excellent. Hoping…

**A maze thing, **YOU TOO WERE MISSING! LoL... Yeaah, you missed a bit, but you're all caught up now. And I'm so sorry about Ector! (I'm being berated for his death... probably shouldn't have killed him with the way everyone is acting) I don't want to destroy your soul! You're the first person who's mentioned Elyan! I'm glad he was noticed... He's mentioned here. Yeah, I had to beat up Merlin a little because I wanted BAMF Arthur... *whispers conspiratorially* That was the point. Morgause is particularly evil in my story. Kay wasn't supposed to be this big... He just sort of... became bigger. **CrazilyObsessed, **No, no, it's not bad... It's fanfiction... It's alright. This is a safe environment to feel those things. **TN Sarah, **thank you! Morgana is... *message cackles off on bad connection*. **mrlnfan **SHUSH! Thank you for reviewing but.. SHUSH! **Distressed Clover,** Thank you, I'm glad you pick up on details. Here is the next chapter. **Guest, **Merlin has received your cuddle. Thank you very much for you equally awesome review. **Bundibird, **lol, been there done that. Reviews on phones never turn out well. And yes, I wanted Ector to have a happy ending. No, it's cool. As long as you always return, I shall be fine XD You picked up that with the fact Merlin was doing what Arthur did for him. LoL... Love the "read: Arthur" comment. You made perfect sense. I've noticed checking your email before you sleep is a tendency for you, and often leaves you sleepless... Don't stop, you're ramblings are awesome. Actually, I read your review just before I slept thinking, "I'll just check if someone's reviewed" and then had to read it again in the morning because I couldn't remember it all. The form of torture Odin uses, isn't anything historical or anything that exists... I mean, they would torture people by making them listen to their screams but the point I'm trying to make is: There's a way that you can localise sound on glass so that if you lay your ear over the specific point, you can hear music but its only on one side of the glass. Twas my inspiration. I go to a music and sound university so I get to learn this stuff. :) Yeah... He is a dick. The next part of your review (Jeez, this is a long reply) I had to go back and read the chapter I'd posted a few times, because I thought "crap, did I post the next chapter by accident?" You've said things in that review that directly happen in this chapter and use a few words I used... Anyway, it's okay whenever you read/review. I just tease :) But I hold you to your promise. Read and have a goodnight sleep :P

* * *

**Memories trapped in Cages**

It was dark.

Merlin only knew darkness and it was cold and dank and frightening.

The only thing that scared Merlin more than the dark, was the light because the light carried shadows that would come in through the door and then be engulfed by the dark and those shadows would shackle him to the wall, bind him to the table, lash him and grab at him and force him down until he cried and begged. Only when his cries were sufficient enough to appease the shadows, would he be released.

The other thing he hated about the light was the hope it brought. For the few times the light penetrated the darkness, Merlin thought it would bring Arthur or anyone who could help him. He had no way of measuring time except for how many times the light came and by the fortieth or maybe fiftieth time someone slid into his chambers to resume his torture, Merlin stopped thinking it would be anyone who could help him.

So he tried to attack.

He knew Arthur said not to fight back, that it would just make things worse, but he had to do something.

First, he tried to spark his magic, but every time he did he was overwhelmed with pain. He felt his eyes burn as they stuttered with gold and buried himself in the corner as he felt hot pokers stab his own skin and burn him from the inside ou. After that, he grew fearful of trying again so he knew he had to fight physically, not one of his strengths but he was ready to try anything.

There were two of them, a stubby man named Malcolm who, from what he could gather through the dark, was bald. The other man Merlin knew was Roland, not just because he recognised the voice, but because he told him every time he came around to remind him.

It was Malcolm who yanked him up by the back of his collar and hung him on the chains above. Merlin couldn't tell how they saw, his vision constantly black but his torturers, it seemed, had no problem in seeing. He wondered if it was some sort of magic, but magic was deterred in the room, wasn't it? _Or maybe just sorcerers are…_

In any case, they strung him up and he groaned as his arms were aching from his shoulders and his wrists, still raw from the cuffs, burnt. "What should we do with you today, little Merlin?" Malcolm asked, the only one fond of using his name.

Merlin winched and struggled, trying to pull back when one arm wrapped around his upper thigh and pulled him closer. "You know, it's only more fun when you try and get away."

His left leg was dragged forward until his foot rested on the stone table Merlin knew was in the centre of the room. His thigh was still held tight by strong fingers and rested half against Malcolm's hip. "What if we cut off your toes?" His boot was roughly removed by Roland and Merlin grunted as he tried to pull away. "One… by… one." He felt the caress of Malcolm's breath on his cheek, and the man's stubble on his chin as he came too close.

Something in Merlin cracked and with his free leg kicked downwards at Malcolm's right one and the powerful blow resulted in a crack. Malcolm shouted and fell, letting go of Merlin in the process. Roland ran around to help Malcolm up but not before delivering a sharp blow to Merlin's face and grabbing the right leg and twisting it. Merlin screamed as the limb was dislocated but not when Roland kicked his shin, hoping it would result in a break. Rather, Merlin was lucky the shin just swelled and bruised.

At the pain, Merlin felt himself slipping back into his mind as he breathed short sharp breathes like he'd been taught.

_A punch was thrown at Merlin's face and he ducked it quickly then put his shield up and tried to use his sword. The mark was off and it only resulted in him awkwardly hitting Elyan in the back with the blunted weapon._

_"You're really bad at this." Elyan commented._

_"Shut up." Thirteen-year-old Merlin sighed. "I'm not a swordsman."_

_"You will be." Elyan patted his back. It was only a few weeks after Arthur had started training him and when Arthur couldn't, Elyan took it upon himself to teach Merlin, claiming the boy was the closest thing he had to a brother to teach. The fourth hour bell rang and Elyan looked up and swore. "But right now, we need to be quick. My father's going to kill me."_

_"Why?"_

_"I'm supposed to watch the forge at three! Come on!" Merlin helped Elyan quickly hustle up all the equipment they had 'borrowed' and bolted together towards the forge._

_They reached it just in time to see Tom standing in front of them, arms across his chest and glaring at Elyan angrily. "Sorry sir." Merlin huffed, jumping in front of Elyan. "He was helping me with something."_

_Tom didn't move his stare. "Merlin, go home. Gaius was searching for you."_

_Merlin looked at everything in his hands and then at Elyan. "Go on Merlin. I'll be fine." Elyan said lightly, nudging him._

_Merlin nodded. "I'll just put these down." Elyan nodded and Merlin went inside to put the equipment down in the forge. He turned to leave but knocked aside one of the hot stones that contained water._

_It fell off the table and the scalding water hit his hip and raced down his leg. Merlin shouted in pain and jumped back and a second later, both Tom and Elyan were running inside. Merlin was hissing in pain and as soon as Tom saw what happened, he grabbed a bucket of cold water and threw it over Merlin's side. _

_"Elyan!" Tom called out. "Get him up to Gaius. Now."_

_Elyan nodded and ran over to Merlin, hoisting him over his back and running. The pain was unbearable to Merlin and he kept panting, sweat already built up on his brow. He buried his head in the back of Elyan's shirt. "Hold on." Elyan said, and climbed the stairs two at a time._

_By the time they reached Gaius's chambers, Merlin's leg felt like it was on fire. "It hurts." he groaned._

_"It's a burn. It's supposed to. It's to tell you you're an idiot for not watching where you were going." Elyan teased as he opened the door._

_"Merlin?" Gaius exclaimed, though the young boy couldn't actually see him, still pressed against Elyan's back. He was put down on a table and Gaius started gently peeling back Merlin's pants._

_Merlin screamed as the material peeled back his skin and Elyan grabbed his hand. "Hey." he said firmly, squeezing Merlin's digits as Gaius fearfully stopped his work. "None of that. Breathe. Every time you want to scream, breathe in and out."_

_Merlin frowned and looked up at Elyan, red faced and trembling with shock. "W-What?"_

_"The more you breathe, the less it'll hurt and you won't lose your voice from screaming yourself hoarse. It'll help you work through the pain." Elyan sat on the bench beside the table and lifted his arm up like an arm wrestle. "Breathe with me now. In, out." Elyan exaggerated his breaths and Merlin followed him reluctantly. When Elyan saw he was calming down, he looked up at Gaius and nodded then turned back to Merlin._

_As Gaius, once again, started peeling back the material, Merlin tensed his entire body but kept breathing, short and sharp just like Elyan taught him._

When the pain had finally subsided, Merlin was thankful for the breathing technique as he didn't black out. He didn't like blacking out, the first time he did so he woke up with pains and feelings he didn't want to remember.

Now, days – hours, minutes… there was no way for him to measure the time – later, he laid curled up next to the wall he safeguarded, though only he knew why. His neck was bare. He had feared that the men would take his final possession so had removed it and hidden it instead of letting it fall into anyone else's hands.

Sometimes he thought of the sky. He tried to look up at it but there were no windows, no light, no escape. So he closed his eyes and imagined, tears curling up in the corners of his eyes as he saw his and Morgana's star, glittering more brightly than the rest.

_"Do you promise me? That as long as that stars burning you'll be alive and try to come back to me?"_

_"I promise."_

Merlin twisted over and buried his head in his bruised arms. He wanted to go back, to return to Morgana and Gwen and Gaius and Camelot. He wanted to see the turrets, hell he even wanted to see the King! But the only hope he had was Arthur.

* * *

As yet another candle was replaced by his sickly grinning prison guard - not manservant as the man, Gregor, couldn't dream of holding a candle to Merlin – he counted his twelfth day of imprisonment by burning a line on the post of his bed, and the thousandth time Merlin had screamed his name, begging for him to save him by registering it as one of the few clear thoughts Arthur had. The drugs that kept Arthur subdued swirled around him and made everything dizzy but he could very clearly remember each and every time Merlin screamed for him, the sound etching itself into Arthur's brain.

Arthur's wasn't the only name he called for, though it was definitely the most frequent. Sometimes he pleaded for Will and Gaius, rarely Gwen and Morgana but nearing the top of the tally was his mother.

Those screams were possibly more heart wrenching than when Merlin screamed his own name.

There was one night, early on, when he heard another scream, one come from a man and then Merlin was grunting and crying out shortly in a manner Arthur now related to beatings.

It was strange, but Arthur could now match Merlin's cries to forms of torture. Short sharp gasps and groans were accompanied by fists and feet and he knew he was being beaten. The sharp screams were usually mirrored by angry growls from the captors and a crack and Arthur guessed a whip was involved. Sometimes Merlin was gagged and everything came out muffled and there was sharp panting but when Merlin begged…

Arthur didn't want to even try and imagine what got his manservant begging and pleading. He imagined him crawling into a small corner and pleading but being dragged out and prayed every night he could somehow trade souls with Merlin and be in his place. One night he asked Gregor. "Let me go down there." He begged as he was given his dinner. "I'll swap with him. If you're going to kill me anyway…"

"We can't hurt you, yet little Princeling." Gregor grinned then slid his hand underneath Arthur's jaw and brought him closer until their faces were inches apart. "But don't worry, sire. Soon enough, he'll be dead and you'll take his place. Just as soon as we get word from Camelot."

He tried to swing his arm to hit the man but it was weak and pathetic. It took Gregor and six guards to drug him the first morning after he woke up and attacked, almost escaping. Merlin paid for his transgressions and the next morning a potion was made up to keep him down.

By the end of his torture, Merlin was whimpering and Arthur could pick up only a few words. "C-Cold… M'cold… S'cold… 'Elp?"

Arthur trembled and tilted his head back, remembering his first winter with Merlin after he was made his manservant and the boy had just gone through his first rapid growth spurt.

_Merlin bumbled alongside Arthur, cleaning up his room and waiting for him to finish dinner. He was humming something stupid underneath his breath, occasionally singin the words he remembered them bumbling over the rest. Arthur tried not to glare but when his manservant held a particularly long and high note, Arthur couldn't help but turn his eyes and glare._

_That was when he noticed it. Merlin had grown since coming to Camelot and his pants, that were supposed to be long, were now too short, reaching his mid-thigh on the cuff._

_Winter was drawing nearer and he could hear Merlin was shivering and then finally paid attention to the words of the song. "Hmmm frost has bound the roads… hmmmm, the storm has spread on all sides, so that none say aught but cold."_

_Arthur glared at the back of Merlin's head then went to his closest angrily. He withdrew a pair of pants that were older than the rest and inspected them for holes before turning to his manservant, who had stopped singing and was staring. "Here." Arthur said, throwing the pair to Merlin. He caught them and frowned at the material that was nowhere near as rough or itchy as his own. "Take them."_

_Merlin inspected them. "Do they need repairing?"_

_"No."_

_"Cleaning."_

_"No."_

_"Then why am I taking them?"_

_Arthur smacked his head then pointed at Merlin's trousers. "To wear Merlin! For crying out loud, your trousers are officially too short to wear around the castle without looking like a simpleton who attempted to dress himself in his younger siblings clothing."_

_Merlin looked down at where the hem was around his mid thigh then looked up sheepishly. "Gwen's making me new ones. She said they'll be a week, though cause Morgana's getting her to make a new dress."_

_"Well wear these in the meantime." Arthur snapped. He then pulled out a blue shirt he rarely wore and threw it to him too. "And that. But only because I was going to throw it out anyway." It was a lie. He was actually quite fond of that shirt because it was the only blue one he had and the only painting he had of his mother she wore a blue dress. But he hardly wore it because it wasn't Camelot's colours and he suspected the thing would look better on Merlin anyway. In all honesty, he was only giving him his clothes because Merlin's threadbare clothing didn't look like it was going to cut it for the harsh winter that seemed to be approaching._

_In that thought, he started sorting through more of his olds clothes and tossed thing's at Merlin that he was no longer wearing or never intended to wear, much of the palace gifting him with fineries he had no need for. "Arthur, it's only a week until Gwen's finished my pants, I won't need all of this." By the end of Arthur's clean out, Merlin had three sets of pants, five shirts and two jackets and Arthur wardrobe, to his glee, was much emptier._

_"Yes but I am getting a new wardrobe soon anyhow and these things will just be passed on to make new cloths for the formal servants. I'd much prefer it if you had these things and didn't die of frostbite. Although I recommend you do get Gwen to take of the gold buckles and other studs to ensure no one kills you for your jacket. You can melt them if you wish."_

_Before Arthur could turn back to his meal, he was tackled around his middle and he felt someone fiercely hugging him. Arthur looked down and saw Merlin gripping him like a lifeline, his face squished up into a tight scrunch. "Thank you, Arthur."_

_Arthur groaned, "Oh don't go being a girl now Merlin." He said, smacking the youngers head and Merlin pulled back with the goofiest smile on his face and Merlin couldn't help but smile too. So Arthur ruffled his hair then said, "You best be off. Go get something to eat then back to Gaius's chambers. He gives me scary looks when I get you home late." Merlin draped his new clothes over her arm and grinned._

* * *

_It was later that very same week that a snowstorm hit Camelot and Gwen, Elyan and Tom the blacksmith had to move into the castle with various others from the lower town to ensure that they didn't freeze. The three of them could have stayed in their forge of course, however others would have wanted to join and they did not have the room for the entire lower town._

_Merlin was incapacitated with helping Gaius treat those with colds and other ailments and so Arthur was left to fend for himself for dinner with Morgana. The two of them tried creeping into the kitchens but because of the high amount of commoners in the castle, guards had been set up and only those with permission were allowed in as food had to be rationed._

_Arthur and Morgana apparently didn't make the list of those allowed into the kitchens._

_"Trying to get food?" Arthur jumped when the quiet footed Elyan fell beside him and Gwen gathered up the corner of her dress to crouch beside Morgana. They had been crouching up against a wall in their alcove, just out side of the hall that led to the kitchens, obviously not the best hiding spot because, Elyan and Gwen had found them._

_"Well... Yes." Arthur looked over his shoulder. "Are you two by chance on the list of trustworthy people?"_

_"I'm not. Gwen is."_

_Morgana and Arthur both swivelled their heads to face the timid and slightly mousy looking Gwen who, despite being thirteen still looked too small to be a maid. "I-I couldn't. Not... You see I only have permission to get the Lady Morgana's meals and... Oh, I'm really no good at sneaking around and... There's four of us."_

_"Six." they all looked up as Leon and Merlin plopped themselves down in their not-so-secret alcove that could just barely fit them all. Merlin and Leon were squatting just outside of it. Arthur was slightly proud to see Merlin wearing his blue shirt and one of the trousers Arthur had given him. "What's this all about? What are you trying to force poor Gwen to do." Merlin reached over and took Gwen's hand protectively and Morgana only looked the slightest bit jealous as Gwen's cheeks flushed._

_"Get us food, and why aren't all of you with Gaius?" Arthur asked, finally realising that the only reason why they were in said situation was because Merlin and Gwen claimed to be assisting Gaius._

_Merlin grinned, "We sort of..."_

_"Merlin!" Gwen snapped, blushing. "They don't have to know."_

_"Yes we do." Morgana and Arthur said together._

_Gwen huffed then indicated for Merlin to continue. "We mixed up some of the poultices and now half the lower town have been treated with for a clogged up bowels with something that encourages the body to expel all waste almost immediately."_

_"Do not go anywhere near the chamber rooms." Leon added._

_Arthur, Elyan and Merlin laughed as Morgana made a face. "It's not funny." Gwen mumbled._

_The door to the kitchen opened and Merlin and Leon squished inside the alcove to hide forcing Elyan to fall out the other end, but thankfully, no one was there._

_Arthur then realised the opportunity they had. "Alright, I've got it. Merlin, Gwen, you two go into the kitchens and take as much food as you can for all of us, saying it is for the King, Lady Morgana and I."_

_"And if we get caught in our lie?" Merlin asked, sceptically._

_"I'll purposely pull you from the stocks. Now go! We're starving."_

_With a sigh, Merlin and Gwen climbed over Leon to go to the kitchens then were let in by a guard who recognised them as the prince's and the King's wards personal servants. As they entered, Gwen took Merlin's hand in fright and Merlin squeezed back reassuringly._

_The two of them went over to Giselle, the cook who had taken over for Mary since she went to visit her grandchildren, and Merlin explained their plight. "The king has chosen to dine with Morgana and Arthur tonight." he said, drawing himself up to a better height. "What food do you have?"_

_The two young servants were then piled up with foods and drinks enough for ten. They were all placed on two large trays for Merlin and Gwen to carry and then the two were sent on their way._

_Just as they headed out, Uther's manservant Cedric headed in. Gwen and Merlin turned to each other with panicked bug eyes and started hurrying as they heard, "I am here to fetch the kings supper." come through the door._

_The guard turned to Merlin and Gwen but just before he could start shouting, they rushed around the corner and shouted, "Run!"_

_Leon dashed out of the alcove first and he took the heavy tray from Gwen and led the way. Just as Arthur came out, Merlin stepped on the leg of his new, but too long trousers and fell. With lightning fast reflexes, Arthur managed to just catch the tray then took off himself. Morgana came out next and pushed Gwen along after Arthur and Elyan grabbed Merlin's arm and dragged him across the floor then up into a standing position just before the guards could catch him._

_They ran through the castle and made it to Morgana's room where he piled everyone in. Morgana hadn't been seen so she hid everyone behind her curtain as well as the food as a knock came at the door. She opened the door, trying to look calm. "Good evening." she said with a proper smile._

_The guard frowned at her. "Your maid, her brother and Arthur's manservant stole food from the kitchens." he accused._

_"No they didn't." Morgana said sweetly._

_The guard was taken aback. "My lady they..."_

_"No. They. Didn't." she said again, this time batting her eyelashes. "I told them to get the food to prove to Uther just how incompetent you were as guards that three servants could bungle passed you unarmed. Now if you don't wish me to report this and have you fired I suggest you leave me."_

_The guards bumbled about but then left with a small bow and Morgana closed the door. "Come on, I'm hungry."_

_Five humans fell out from behind her curtain with armfuls of food and as there wasn't enough table room, they made do with the floor, spreading everything out between them to share._

_Arthur turned to Merlin when he saw the rip in the leg of the trousers. "Really Merlin? You've had them for a week."_

_"I can stitch them." Gwen offered._

_Arthur pointed at her accusingly. "No, no, no. That was how all of this started. You saying you were going to stitch clothing when you couldn't. No. I'll get some other seamstress to stitch it. I have to do everything around here it seems."_

_Gwen's face grew angry and she picked up a peel of skin from the chicken and lobbed it at Arthur's face. "Merlin and I just risked our necks for you to eat this banquet and apart from watching Merlin fall and catching the food instead of your friend, I didn't see you do anything." She stared at the shocked Arthur angrily until Gwen's brain caught up with her actions and she realised what she'd said. "S-Sire." she added respectfully._

_The others all burst out into laughter as Arthur and Gwen just stared at each other, until of course Merlin dragged Gwen's attention back to her food and Leon flicked the chicken skin off Arthur's face._

Arthur forced the chicken around the plate he'd been given and tried to hold onto the laughter and the happier times. He missed Morgana and Gwen and Leon and Elyan and Kay… He missed his father and Gaius and his own room where he and Merlin would throw things at each other and argue and laugh! Where that stupid thumb sized bear was that he secretly stared at before he went to bed every night.

Every morning he was forcibly drugged, every night forced to hear Merlin's screams, begging for light, begging to be saved. _He's only fourteen… _Arthur was limp on his soft cushiony bed and tried lifting his arm but it came up sluggish and a few seconds after he wanted it to.

He groaned and tried to think but nothing would come to him. He couldn't put thoughts together properly and dragged his hand over his eyes to open them wider. "Merlin…" he groaned as a soft whimper punctuated the air. It was followed by quiet sobs and pleading and Arthur wanted to scream and attack and curl up a die all at the same time.

Then, something in the routine changed.

* * *

Kay leapt up and stifled a yell as yet another dream of his fathers death merged with the new one of Arthur and Merlin being found dead together in the Darkling Forest.

He slammed his fists into the dirt beside his bedroll and looked out around the camp where his old contingent, Sir Arnold's men, slept around him. He, Leon and Gareth had joined Arnold's men in the search to the south, along with Accolon and his men.

Kay still didn't trust them and kept shooting looks over his shoulder at Accolon, but more concerned with his favourite, the Lady Morgause. He stood up and nodded to Sir Hadwyn on duty then went towards the trees.

The night engulfed him as well as the shadows. He had no real desire to relieve himself but attempted so anyway, needing more to think. Once he was done he leant against another tree, pressing his forehead against the bark and closing his eyes to rummage through his dreams and thoughts, untangling them and working out what was reality and what was fantasy to calm his racing heart.

_Arthur and Merlin, _he thought to himself. _Fantasy. We don't know they're dead. They aren't. They aren't…_ Merlin was his younger cousin, though he could never publically acknowledge that. He gritted his teeth and though of Arthur, the boy so much like his own brother it hurt when they were forced to be separated. It was strange though that while he was Merlin's cousin through his father being adopted, Arthur and Merlin were actual cousins, through blood.

He sighed and cursed the world for a moment then bit his lip and pushed to his other dream about his father, the was Mortgah had squeezed him between his fingers, everything breaking and snapping and engorging with pressure. He gasped and pulled himself out of the vision. _Real. Real. Don't think about it. Don't think about it. _He turned so he back was pressed on the bark, though he couldn't feel the roughness through his chainmail.

There was a snap of twigs, and Kay's eyes flew open, their green light illuminating the darkness. He couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched and wished he'd brought his sword with him. He started to walk back to the camp when a sword slid underneath his neck.

"I thought you, the one who taught the Prince of Camelot to fight would know well enough by now, not to leave yourself unguarded."

_"Never leave yourself unguarded, Arthur!" Kay shouted as the six year old Prince who let his arm fall for a moment while Kay tried to instruct him on how to fight. Kay was only nine, a novice himself, but his father and Flynn had taught him a lot and he could easily best some of the second year squires with his skill. "What did I tell you?" He tutted his tongue._

_"Never let my guard down." Arthur recounted, a small lisp he tried to hide from his father reappearing. "But Kay, I'm tired."_

_"Your enemies aren't going to let you be tired, Arthur."_

_He bowed his head and sighed. "Fine." he pulled the sword back up and struck out and the two sparred again in the small courtyard behind Kay's house._

_This time Kay nicked Arthur's leg with the wooden sword and the prince yelped and tried not to cry. Kay sighed, "Arthur." and knelt down in front of the young prince as his bottom lip jutted out. "Did I hurt you?"_

_Arthur shook his head, but the tears in his eyes told him otherwise. "Come on. Show me."_

_At first the Prince was reluctant to show any signs of weakness, but then he fell to the ground harmlessly and helped Kay roll up his pant leg to show the bruise that was already developing underneath. "I'm sorry." he said truthfully and pressed his forehead against Arthur's. "I didn't mean to. Can you forgive me?"_

_His blue eyes matching Kay's greens, Arthur nodded then sniffed back all of his tears. "I think… I think Gaius is going to have to look at it." Arthur said, inspecting the small bruise himself. He twisted his mouth and added, "And maybe Uncle Ector… And… And maybe Uncle Lewis and Aunty Emelie too."_

_Kay chuckled and grinned. "You just want them to kiss it better."_

_Arthur scowled as best as his baby fat face would allow and said, "No. I'm too big for that now. Father says Prince's can't have things kissed better."_

_"Yes they can." Kay insisted then dropped a kiss on Arthur's leg. "See? Better?"_

_"No." Arthur failed at looking angry even though he was trying really hard. "Maybe you should do it again to make sure." He glared at him and Kay just laughed._

_"How about I take you to my Father? He always seems to get it right the first time around."_

_Arthur lifted his hands out. "Up."_

_"You're such a baby." Kay muttered under his breath, but the Prince obviously didn't hear him or he would have objected to being lifted even though he was clearly too tired to walk._

_Kay did pick Arthur up, but he was still small himself. It didn't matter too much though as Kay had done it about a thousand times. They left the swords in the courtyard and he carried Arthur through the house. He knew his father was up in the palace with everyone else because something big had happened that got all the knights and quite a number of their wives to go up to the Council Chambers. _

But that was in the morning, _Kay thought. _Surely it's over by now.

_Arthur rested his head in Kay's shoulder and hung on as tight as he could, his eyes drooping a little from all the training they did. They stepped out onto the streets of the upper town and Kay adjusted Arthur as he closed the door and locked it behind him._

_They headed up the street and Arthur tried talking to keep himself awake and Kay half paid attention the street, knowing it like the back of his head to keep avid attention on Arthur who was trying to explain to him how he had used one of the sword techniques Kay had shown him on Wendell, a son of another knight, Arthur's age, and he'd won the spar. Just before they got to the gates to get into the courtyard, a cry of, "Get back!" made Kay stumble._

_Before he could catch himself a horse flew passed and riding backwards on top of it, tied and gagged, was the Lady Vivienne. Kay fell to the ground, Arthur going down with him and the younger boy started to cry as his shoulder slammed into the cobblestones._

_Kay turned to Arthur and quickly hushed him, trying to collect him back up, but his own leg was bleeding and he was trembling, still frightened that a horse had almost trampled them. "Kay? Arthur?" Kay looked up and saw his father had been standing on the steps of the Courtyard in a chevron form with the other knights, including a red-eyed Sir Goloris and fronted by the King who only looked mildly concerned with his sons fall. But upon seeing the Arthur and Kay, Ector broke formation and bolted across to help them, picking up Arthur from Kay and checking him over then staring down at Kay._

_"What are you doing?" Ector demanded. "You were almost killed!"_

_"I-I…" Kay stuttered, unsure of what to say._

_"I told you to stay and watch Arthur!"_

_"He was hurt and wanted you… or Gaius… I was just… I just…" Kay was only nine years old and was just as scared as the crying Prince, so seconds later as he started to sniffle, Ector pulled him up into his other arm and hugged both the boys tight._

_"I'm sorry, it wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have gotten mad." He kissed Kay's head then followed by kissing Arthur's. "You need to watch where you're going." Ector said firmly. "You're small and so is Arthur. You almost got trampled by the horse. If something had happened to you…" Ector shuddered to think and then squeezed both boys together. _

_"Father, what happened to Aunty Vivienne?" Kay whispered, turning his head over his shoulder, but Ector didn't have the answer and when Kay looked back to Sir Goloris, he was gone._

_"Just… just always watch where you're going Kay. Just… please." Ector said finally, then looked back between them and smiled. "Let's get you boys up to see Gaius, just in case something happened, hey?"_

Never leave himself unguarded and always watch where you're going. Two of the rules Kay had ingrained himself from a young age and in one night he'd forgotten both. He blinked and stared a blue-eyed sorceress in the face who looked no older than he was. "I can't believe my father loved you." He stepped back away from the sword and saw it was his own. "How'd you get that away from the camp?" he asked Nimueh.

With a small shrug she said, "The Knights of Camelot do not handle sleeping spells well. Just with a simple thought I was able to have the guard asleep."

"Sleeping magic seems to be your thing." Kay said bitterly. Nimueh frowned and they both fell silent, staring at one another ruefully. "What are you doing here?"

The sorceress pursed her lips at his anger then her face calmed and she crept forward and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I felt your distress. I came to see what was the matter."

Kay shook her arm off. "I don't need you to put out feelers for my emotions."

"I promised your father I would look after you." Nimueh snapped.

"Yeah and I'm sure you said the same thing about my Father too." Kay retorted. "But look. He's dead and it was your fault."

Magic crackled through the air and Kay heard the _whoosh_ of the campfire as Nimueh lost momentary control of her anger. "I did not mean for Ector to die."

"You sent the Giant."

"I will forever regret what I've done!"

"That's not good enough." Kay growled, inching forward until he was inches away from the woman and leering over her. "My father was a good man."

"The best." Nimueh agreed.

"And you _killed_ him. All for revenge? All because you killed Queen Ygraine…"

"I did not kill Ygraine!" Nimueh yelled, shoving his back with magic. Kay flew through the air and slammed into a tree trunk but he was dragged to his feet by the same force so he didn't fall, and held there as she glared furiously. "I did not kill Ygraine." she said calmly. "Uther did. This is all Uther's fault."

"You cast the magic, knowing the rules." Kay hissed. "I'm not even magical and I know."

"Well now that I do know and you do know and I can control it then I guess I can fix it, can't I?"

The look on Nimueh's face, the one of pure loathing and frightening power didn't put Kay's heart at ease. Rather, it made him think of running the Sorceress through with his sword. "How?" he asked. "How can you fix it?"

Nimueh smirked, "I simply return what was given and the other side will give me back what was lost."

As he tried to understand what she said, Kay frowned. What was lost was Ygraine and what was given was… His head snapped up. "What have you done to Arthur?"

With a shrug she said, "Nothing… yet."

Kay pulled out his sword and lunged forward, though the blade was stopped inches from her heart by magic. "Where have you taken Arthur and Merlin? If you ever cared for my father, you will tell me."

Nimueh snorted, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"They're missing!" he yelled. "Where did you take them?"

"When did they disappear?" Nimueh asked, suddenly serious.

"A fortnight ago. Where are they?"

"I don't know." Nimueh said steadily. Her eyes turned to the heavens then back to Kay. "I've been across the seas in Ierne, staying with the Queen Reba. If you don't believe me then here." From her pocket she withdrew a coin from the City of Lobeth. He had been himself, once, when he was sent to carry a message across the seas to the wild Queen of the Western Isle.

Not wanting to be distracted or led astray, he kept a steady arm on his sword and stared at her trying to find deception. "So you have no idea where Merlin or Arthur are?"

"I didn't even know Emrys and the Prince were missing."

Kay winced. "So it's true. He is Emrys."

"As I live and breathe, yes." Nimueh raised her eyebrow. "But he is no match for me should he stand in my way."

"You'd really kill him if he tried to defend Arthur?" Kay gasped. "Are you that heartless, that you'd kill your own kin?"

"Who is he to me?" she shrugged and in that moment, it occurred to Kay that Nimueh didn't know. Nimueh and Hunith hadn't seen each other since Arthur's birth and, as far as he knew, his father was the only one who spoke to the sorceress still and never informed her of Merlin's birth.

"He's… He's Emrys." Kay said nervously, backing off and trying to avoid the topic of Balinor. "Isn't he supposed to be your saviour?"

"He is Arthur's saviour, not mine."

Kay jutted out his chin. "Swear to me. Swear on my father's memory you had no hand in this."

Nimueh's lip curled. "I swear."

"Good." he nodded once then looked away. "Now go. I don't want to see you here."

Nimueh sighed then nodded. "You may never forgive me, Kay. I cannot forgive myself. But know this. I'll do no harm to you." With a gust of wind, Nimueh disappeared and Kay let out a long sigh. He went back out to the camp and rested on his bedroll, rested his head under his arm and staring out blankly until the morning.

* * *

When the candles in the room were once more replaced, Arthur blinked when he didn't recognise the carrier. The door was left ajar and Arthur could see a single guard outside and but returned his attentions back to the boy who was was definitely a servant, sickly looking in dirty clothing and smelling a little foul. "Who are you?" Arthur asked, unable to sit up because of his head spins.

"K… Kieran, my lord." The boy bowed. "I'm replacing Gregor for the morning."

"Why?" Arthur groaned, shoving himself up into a sitting position.

Kieran winced and looked over his shoulder as the guard turned his head into the room. "He was injured in training, my lord. So here I am."

Arthur stared at him curiously as Kieran approached with the timidness of a shy puppy. "My lord, you need to drink your potion." he said, handing it over. Arthur realised the boy had no idea what the potion was for, most likely not important enough to be told.

He snatched the vial and stared at it, finally having the accursed thing that kept him down in his hands. "I was told you must drink that in front of me, my lord." Kieran said.

Arthur looked down at the potion then up at the serving boy and then the guard who was staring at them both. _He knows what this is for… _Arthur thought then uncapped the potion and let all the liquid fall into his mouth. He bopped his Adams apple like he was swallowing then smiled politely and handed the empty vial back.

Kieran rushed to take it and Arthur fell back on the pillow, burying his face in the side and letting all the liquid spill out and collect on the pillow. He sat up and felt a little woozy but not dramatically weakened like he normally did then said, "Thank you." Just as the boy left his food on the table.

He got no water, he rarely did. He only got wine and Arthur suspected it was to keep him even groggier and that water diluted whatever tonic he had. _But Gregor was injured…_ Kieran left and Arthur ate the food with little trouble, none of it laced with anything. If they drugged him anymore he would have died and no one wanted that. He ate his breakfast, lunch and dinner but refused to touch his wine, still not completely accustomed to the taste and not wanting to get drunk just as he was given hope back.

As promised, Arthur received three meals every day and when lunch was delivered by Kieran, he pretended to act slack over the dining table and his food was pushed in front of him. Arthur didn't kid himself. He wasn't strong enough to take out the guard yet, two weeks of drugs making him lethargic but he knew what he was doing as he pretended to be helpless in front of Kieran and his guard through out the day.

The next morning, the same as the morning before, it was Kieran changing his candle. Once again, Kieran offered him the potion and Arthur pretended to swallow then collapsed back and let everything dribble out on his pillow that still smelt sickly sweet from the previous day and the days went on like that for yet another week.

When Arthur wasn't faking his illness, he was regaining his strength. The day they brought him a jug of water rather than wine, Arthur felt he could have done back flips like he did as a child, but didn't dare try. More alert, Arthur noticed the pattern.

For three days they would bring him wine and on the fourth, water. He heard the guard talking to someone one night and Gregor would return to his duties as Arthur's carer in three days which mean he would come back on the day Arthur received water. _But on that day, I'll also be drugged again…_

He bit his lip and knew that he could quite easily take Kieran out, but the guard was another question. His body was physically weakened from his lack of movement, his muscles weakening and there was a fear inside of him that kept insisting he wasn't good enough. Arthur couldn't let something like what happened in the forest, happen again. He wouldn't allow his manservant to get hurt anymore for things that were solely his fault.

The other thing was, Kieran was nothing more than a slave boy and he had actually grown fond of the frightened young man who was still petrified of Arthur despite the fact he'd been lulled.

_And when Gregor is here, the guard at the door isn't… _he reminded himself. It would just be Gregor and, as Arthur gritted his teeth, he could deal with that.

The room was hot, stifling with no breeze. The morning after he drank water, for the first time in weeks, Arthur felt he could move again and didn't want to just collapse in exhaustion. He trained his limp muscles to prepare them, hearing Merlin crying as his motivation to push through the pain. It was then he questioned that he could hear Merlin, but Merlin couldn't hear him.

It was the night before Gregor was due back to come that Arthur figured something he could finally do with his wine. He waited until he heard the guards were finished with whatever they were doing to his manservant patiently, with his fists curled up beneath him. "Goodnight, little 'un." One of them chortled darkly and Arthur heard Merlin groan and slump.

He looked at the door and the deep into the hole in the wall and saw it curled downwards, becoming smaller . "Merlin?" he whispered down, but he heard his voice back like it was pressed up against a wall. He looked around the room and saw the jug of wine. At first, he was unsure, but then Arthur took the jug and poured it down.

Wine sloshed down and he heard a gasp and a moment later a small whimper. "Who's there?"

Arthur winced, not wanting to scare Merlin but unsure of how else to communicate. He tried again in case, "It's me. Arthur." he whispered down but there was no reply. Instead, with a sigh, he poured more wine down and accidentally let it slip so the entire jug was gone. He swore and threw the jug aside and should have guessed. It hadn't been all that full to begin with.

"Please… stop." A small voice begged. "I don't know why you're pouring wine on me but please… I… I… I'm tired." It broke off into small sobs and Arthur buckled, pressing his forehead against the stone to hold himself up and stop himself from crying himself.

_How do I make him know it's me? _He had been removed from his armour and chainmail and left new clothes. He'd buried his signet and Merlin had his ring and the only thing he had left of his own were his… Arthur blinked and turned his head and saw his gloves on the bedside table. They were the only thing they had left, the brown leather giving him no hope or comfort yet he had no way or desire to discard them either.

Arthur quickly grabbed one and threw it down the tunnel and it padded its way down until it got to Merlin's level. He heard a shuffling and then a soft murmur asking, "Arthur?" To confirm, Arthur threw the other glove down, but was now left with nothing. "Arthur…" Merlin murmured. "Arthur, please… Arthur?" The Prince regretted his actions as he heard his manservant beg for him once again, his voice turning into sobs when he realised Arthur wasn't going to respond anymore.

_I'll fix this Merlin. I'll fix you._

* * *

As Morgana slid on her riding gloves she took pause and flexed her fingers. For some strange reason she had the faint impression the gloves – brown leather – were important. "Gwen?" she turned to her maid and best friend and raised an eyebrow. "I should buy a second set of riding gloves, shouldn't I?"

Gwen frowned and shook her head. "Not that I know of. You were gifted quite a few for your birthday."

Morgana turned to the chest where she kept all such trinkets and remembered the four or five pairs she had. "I did, didn't I? I don't know why I'm so fixated on gloves as of late."

Gwen smiled, but the light didn't reach her eyes. As Morgana hadn't had any nightmares for the entire week, she was feeling much better and less sleep addled. Her fear for Arthur and Merlin hadn't dwindled but she couldn't help but feel glad that the dreams had stopped, her new bracelet to thank for that.

"Gwen, they'll be fine." Morgana said quietly. She stared at her and tried to make her see she meant it. "They'll come back. I know they'll come back."

"But…" Gwen stuttered off and then stared at the ground. "Morgana, what if they don't? What if you're wrong and… and even the King believes now they'll be bringing back nothing but…" she trailed off but Morgana had also overhead the conversation with the furious and irrational king.

_"At this rate, we'll be bringing back nothing but corpses." Sir Arnold snapped at the council meeting. Morgana curled up her fist angrily as Sir Leon shut his eyes sadly. Gwen let out a stifled sob, but most ignored her, standing in the corner near Gaius._

_ "We found a collapsible whipping pyre in the Mountains of Isgard." Leon said stiffly, his features carefully shifted into a neutral expression, as though he was giving out just another report. "At first we were unsure of what it was doing there but then we found this."_

_Kay stepped forward with a satchel that no one in the room but the two who had found it, Morgana, Gaius and Gwen recognised. "What is this?" Uther demanded._

_"This is Merlin's rucksack. He had it when he was leaving to help Arthur. It has been emptied and…" Kay flipped it over and there was blood splatter. "This is all we could find."_

_The silence was deafening as all tried not to imagine whose blood it was. Morgana however, knew. Her eyes locked with Morgause's, the Lady being let into the meeting with her Prince, and the blonde pressed a finger to her lips and shook her head._

Morgana spun around to look back in the mirror and schooled her features into one of perfect calm. "They'll be fine. They have to be fine. If anything else, Merlin promised."

Gwen's eyes watered and she shook her head before turning to go leave and cry. But Morgana crossed the room quickly and took her handmaiden into her embrace and let her turn onto her shoulder and cry. "I need them to be alright." Gwen cried.

"Me too." Morgana murmured. "Me too." Her head was on Gwen's shoulder and her arms got around her slender shoulders and she could see the bracelet that was keeping her dreams at bay right there in front of her face.

* * *

Leon was back in Camelot, on rest while the search for Arthur continued. He hated what was happening. Arthur wasn't just his prince and wasn't just the boy he'd sworn to protect… Arthur was his friend and Merlin… Leon winced at the thought.

Merlin was a child. Younger than the prince and younger than his kid brother, John, by an entire year. He still giggled nervously at the talk of women and sometimes told childish tales around the campfire that had the men grinning in shameful amusement. But, despite all that, Merlin was his friend too.

He frowned and remembered the first time he'd called him a friend.

_Leon was on night guard, the Knight in charge of making sure the guards were on shift for the evening and his placement was the dungeons. He was chuckling at some joke one of the men made when a small timid voice tittered out, "Sir Leon?"_

_Leon turned his head away from the flames and saw the small form of the twelve year old Merlin, eyes shimmering with tears and shivering with cold and his feet bare. "Merlin? What are you doing out here?" Leon demanded, stalking forward. He didn't notice the guards he was supposed to be watching were staring at them. He was more concerned with the fact that Merlin looked like he was about to shake out of his own skin. "You're freezing."_

_Merlin looked like he was about to collapse and he was so shrivelled up, it pained Leon so he quickly threw his own cloak around the boy. "My room is cold. I'm not used to sleeping without a fire."_

_"Why didn't you ask Gaius for some extra blankets?"_

_"He's done too much." he mumbled and he looked so terribly pathetic that Leon's heart ached for him._

_His duty conflicted with his empathy and he turned to the other guards and then decided what to do. "I'll return. Let me just take him back." With that, he pulled Merlin to his side to keep him warm and got him back into his room._

_Having a lot of experience with looking after his younger siblings, Leon shifted back the covers and knelt down beside the bed as Merlin clambered in. He then pulled the blankets and the cloak back over him to keep him warm. The room was horrifically cold. "You wait here. Keep my cloak and I will return with extra blankets."_

_Merlin had stared at him, looking petrified for the first time since Leon had met him, and his eyes watered ridiculously. "I don't like it here. I want to go home."_

_Leon let go of all his hesitancy and saw a small boy who had never been out of his tiny village, frightened and alone in a big scary castle. He thought of how he calmed his brother and smiled gently and ran a hand through his hair. "I cannot imagine what this is like for you, Merlin but I assure you. Camelot may seem lonely but you will not be alone. You have many friends here already."_

_The small raven haired boy was staring at him in absolute disbelief. "Who?"_

_Leon couldn't believe how lonely he looked and just wanted to fix that so said, "Well me for one. I hope you don't mind."_

_His eyes lit up a bit but he looked bashful and started playing with the cloak. "No. I don't mind. You seem like a good friend."_

_The Knight's heart swelled. "Thank you." he said truthfully then added, "I'm sure if you asked Arthur, he too would be your friend."_

_A grin lit up Merlin's face. "Arthur? The Prince of Prats?"_

_Leon couldn't help but laugh. "Yes. I suppose he is a bit of a prat sometimes, but he is good-natured and he cares for people very deeply. Now you need to stay here. I will return for my cloak soon."_

_Leon had left and collected blankets from his own room. He knew he could simply ask for more, but he collected all the ones he could then went back to Merlin's icehouse chambers. But when he got there, the boy was fast asleep, hands wound up in the cloak and eye shut innocently. His lip curled into a smile and he thought of the way Merlin had angrily attempted to rip up the letter his mother sent with him from Ealdor and how he had clung to his mother and friend._

_He was just a scared little boy, forced out of his home by fear. _

_He coaxed Merlin's hand gently to release its hold of his cloak and tucked the extra blankets over him. "Good night, Merlin." he whispered, running his hand through the boys hair again. "Tomorrow will be better."_

Leon shook his head clear of the memories and turned the corner, almost colliding into someone. "Oh. Sorry." he said, looking down and blinking when he saw the Lady Morgause. "My Lady." he bowed and the woman, who couldn't have been too much older than himself, waved her hand off.

"Do not worry yourself." she went to keep walking but Leon stopped her, by being a wall in her way. She frowned and looked up at him. "May I pass?"

He stared at her face, her blonde curls and her eyes. Everyone knew Leon had a good and long memory. He could remember things from his crib, though he couldn't possibly imagine why.

"Have you ever come to Camelot before?" he asked, studying her curiously. "I could swear I've seen you before."

Morgause jutted out her chin. "No. This is my first time in Camelot."

Leon's brow furrowed but he couldn't recognise Morgause, but her features. "Did you have family here?" he asked.

Morgause flushed and stepped back. "My Lord, no. I am from Cornwall. Now I really must…"

"Are you related to Sir Goloris?" Leon asked, looking her up and down. While she didn't have the same build as Goloris, she had the same long blonde hair and deep brown eyes though hers were harsher than the gentle knights. "Goloris Le Fay, of Cornwall."

Her eyes flashed furiously and she stepped away. "No. Now move yourself before I start yelling obscenities and my Prince is forced to cut you down for my honour."

For a moment, Leon didn't believe her but then backed away and let her pass. His eyes trailed after her long after she left and he turned to keep going on his way when, once more, he almost ran into someone. He was steadied by his shoulders and looked to see Kay matching his gaze. "You see it too. Sir Goloris. And Lady Vivienne too. The way she moves and acts. Reminds me of Morgana as well."

Leon turned his head to face the corner she disappeared around. "But… it's impossible."

"I'm pretty sure nothing is impossible anymore." Kay grabbed Leon's arm and dragged him away.

\o/

Gwen left her mistresses chambers to do her daily duties, wiping her eyes from the excess tears. Morgana had offered her the day off, but since Elyan wasn't around and she had no way of contacting him, the days alone in the forge with her quiet father were too hard on her.

So she chatted sadly with the other seamstresses as she made Morgana's new dress, then went into the kitchens where Mary made her a large bowl of comforting soup. Her lip curled into a smile and Mary slid her hand around her ear and scratched her head affectionately. "Don't worry poppet. They'll come back. Do you want to help me?"

With a small nod, Gwen stood up and then let herself be instructed in cooking. She had never been so thankful that Merlin had taught her how to read when Mary handed her a recipe book one day and said she could have it to cook for her father. Ever since, she had been indebted both to Merlin and the cook and started making more complex foods than plain chicken broth – the only thing she could make previously.

As she numbly cooked, she remembered why else she was indebted to Merlin for teaching her how to read.

_"Merlin!" Gwen jumped at the loud yelling and then came a crash. She looked around for the source of the noise, but it came from one of the chambers. "MERLIN!"_

_She looked to see the noise coming from Arthur's room and then hesitantly looked around before lightly knocking on the door. "Merlin! Finally! Come in!"_

_Gwen cleared her throat then pushed the door, only enough for her voice to be heard. "Um, sire… it's me. Guinevere."_

_"Guinevere!" Arthur sounded panicked for a moment then growled. "Come in and shut the door. I need help."_

_She bit her lip and then made sure no one could see no one was watching before sneaking in and doing as Arthur said._

_The Prince of Camelot was sixteen at the time and Gwen was turning thirteen in just a few days. He was definitely bigger than her, she barely came up to his chest, and he was like a bear compared to her tiny mouse like features, still very childlike._

_He was sitting on his bed, head tilted back and blinking away his rapidly watering eyes and rubbing them red as yellow liquid seeped down his cheeks. "I need help." he pleaded. "This stupid tincture…"_

_"What happened?" Gwen said, approaching his bedside and standing in front of him._

_He tried shifting his head to look at her, but the yellow tears spilt quicker. "I'm not crying." he growled, wiping it all away. "I got this stupid infection in my eyes and Gaius gave me a tincture that I can't get in."_

_"How'd you get an infection in your eyes?"_

_"Merlin." Arthur snapped. "Idiot tripped and when I tried to help him up, he dragged me down too and I fell into some poisonous bushes. It's a shame he didn't fall into them and I did."_

_Gwen frowned. "Merlin pulled you? That doesn't sound like him."_

_Arthur narrowed his watering eyes. "I'm not going to debate it and if he tells you I fell too, don't believe him. He's lying to save himself from yet another trip to the stocks."_

_Seeing the picture a lot more clearer, Gwen said nothing but collected the tincture from Arthur's hands. "I can help you. You need to put this in your eyes?"_

_"I don't know. Gaius left me instructions but I can't see! It's to blurry."_

_He handed her a scroll and Gwen gasped a little at the long list of words. Panic fluttered up into her heart and she glanced at the expectant prince and then back to the paper. It was quite obvious that Arthur was in a lot of pain, his eyes ferociously spilling tears and she didn't want to disappoint him, but she only read at home in private or sitting shoulder to shoulder with Merlin as he carefully sounded out words for her that she didn't understand._

_Not that they had, had any lessons since Arthur's birthday because she had been stupid enough to kiss him. _Lords…_ she closed her eyes and remembered the moment a little sickly. "Um… give me a moment." she cleared her throat and started to mouth the irst few words on the paper._

_All was silent as she tried to read the first sentence Gaius wrote. Merlin had her reading very simply things, recipes, small books, letters his mother wrote to him… But most of these words were medical and she couldn't recognise them. "Guinevere?" he said impatiently._

_"Hold on." Gwen said, looking at the next sentence that was just as bad. "M-My lord?" she said hesitantly. "I… I can't read all of this. I understand a few words but…"_

_Arthur paused, a little confused. His brow furrowed. "You can't read?" _

_She was momentarily gripped with anger and snapped, "I only just learnt." she snapped._

_"Merlin." Arthur guessed, sighing. "Is it a word that's bothering you?"_

_"A few words."_

_"Read what you can out loud and spell the rest."_

_Gwen blushed and stuttered out, "Ex…excuse me?"_

_"I'm in a great deal of pain right now, Gwen. Please just spell the words."_

_"It says… It says take the… take the t-i-n-c-t-u-r-e…"_

_"Tincture." Arthur said patiently. "Keep going."_

_"Take the tincture and en… ensure that the st-stop-per is always s… sea… s-e-a-l-e-d."_

_"Sealed."_

_"When not in use." she looked up and saw Arthur blindly staring at her, eyes still rimmed red. "After… after a-d-m-i-n-i-s-t-e-r-i-n-g…"_

_"Administering."_

_"Two drops of the tinc-ture stra… stra-get?"_

_"Straight." Arthur murmured._

_"Oh…" she shook her head. "Merlin's shown me that a few times. I keep forgetting."_

_"Don't worry. Keep going."_

_She sighed. "After ad-min-is-tering the tincture straight to the… i-iris, use the oc… oc… ocu…"_

_"Spell it, please?" There was a touch of pain in his voice and Gwen sighed, letting go of all her pride._

_"O-c-u-l-a-r over the eye."_

_"Ocular. This thing." He pulled out two glass dishes that looked like they fitted exactly over the eyes and trapped them closed. "Anything else?"_

_"Re…member to keep the oc-u-lar dis… dis… d-i-s-i-n-f-e-c-t-e-d."_

_"Disinfected. Which is why I have the bowl of hot water, there." He pointed wildly in a direction and Gwen saw the bowl on the bedside. _

_"Well, that's it." Gwen said, her lip twitching. "I think I can do that."_

_"You have no choice." Arthur handed her the ocular's and Gwen dropped them in the hot water._

_"Only… what's an iris?" Gwen asked._

_"The coloured part of the eye."_

_"Oh. Good. Thought so. Now lie down. You're to tall." Arthur did as asked and even tilted his head back so his eyes were straight. Gwen undid the stopper and blocked it with her thumb so she could control the drops. She hesitantly touched Arthur's face, peeling his eyes wide open and then dropped two blue drops straight into his own blue eyes._

_He hissed and grabbed Gwen's arm on instinct and she stopped what she was doing, and tried pulling away but his fingers tightened. "No. Don't. It hurts but… but it's good. I feel it working."_

_She nodded and slid the eye closed, grabbing an ocular and sliding it over his eye. Following the instructions, she did it on the other eye too and Arthur's body relaxed and uncoiled. "That feels better." he sighed. "Thank you Guinevere."_

_Thankful he couldn't see, Gwen blushed and tilted her head. "You… You can call me Gwen, sire."_

_"I thought only friends called you that." he smiled._

_"Friends and… close acquaintances." she smiled back._

_"Alright… Gwen." he made a face. "But honestly, I like Guinevere better. Rolls off the tongue better." In all honesty, Gwen hated her full name but the way Arthur said it made her smile._

_"Alright. But only you can call me that."_

Gwen smiled faintly in the kitchens, thinking of that day. She had went and sent for someone else to find Merlin so Arthur wouldn't be alone, but from that day he was still the only person who called her Guinevere and it made him special compared to everyone else. Despite their strange friendship through friends, Gwen cared deeply for the Prince and she had a slight conceited thought that he felt the same way for her, especially after she neglected his duties to spend the day with her.

"What's got you smiling?" Mary asked, her soft features matching hers, happy to see Gwen perking up.

"They'll come back." she said, thinking of the Prince and her best friend. "They have to. We all care too much."

"That we do." Mary agreed. "That we do."

* * *

**A/N: **Preview for the next chapter:

_"Wakey, wakey, Princeling. Look who's back."_

When the slightly taller man looked like he was going to fight back, Arthur kneed him between the legs – an attack looked down upon by the knights – and shoved him up against the wall.

_"If it has to do with getting Merlin and Arthur back, I would like to know." Gaius eyed both the knights._

"…squeals like a pig when you do e jus' righ'."

"Nah, mate. Seems too scrawny… anyway, he's just a kid."

"He ain a kid. No' really. Looks about six'een at leas'."

"Someone told me he was twelve."

"Nah, young face. But 'es dark en there. Come af'er your shif'. Chrus' me. 'Es fun."

_"Merlin?" he called out again, being as gentle as he could be. "Please?"_

"Get off me! Let me go!" he screamed and eventually, Arthur complied.

_...BAMF ARTHUR_


	36. Escape From Darkness

**A/N: **Arghhhhh... In hospital again and have this painful migraine for the last two days... It's taken me all day to edit this but i'm pretty sure it's horrible... **bubzchoc, ** thank you! **anita4869, **thank you for reading and glad you caught up! Be cool! Hang in there! Morgause isn't the only influence in Morgana's life... Good luck in your exams! I love you for believing my story is a worth your time wasting (I think that made sense... I'm not even sure...) Keep reading and reviewing :) **Die Schreiber, **I am sorry for making you cry but proud to evoke such an emotion. Hope your patience didn't run out. Thanks! **Bundibird, **BAMF Arthur. Here. Your review is readable, or maybe my blurred sight is making this easy. I think we can make this work between us. I'm glad you loved the chapter, so sorry about your heart breaking. :( Just wait on the Nimueh part... Chapter 15, Court Dragon Master it explains that they're distant cousins... Merlin's great-great-great-aunt marries Arthur's great-great-grandfather... Yes, Ector adopted by Balinor (sorry about killing him) Merlin, Arthur legit cousins... I see Leon giggling... And I wrote that AGES ago, but I never found a place to put it in, along with the Elyan scene... And I really wanted to show more of Leon... Lady Vivienne bit is supposed to be vague :) It's okay. SO FINALLY, here is the next chapter ;) **A maze thing, **I like Elyan. I wish he had more to do on the show than what he did... I'm glad you like him in my story. And Nimueh is a tortured soul and Morgause sucks! Uther's an idiot... :( No more good deaths for a little bit. :) **India Moore, **(review for Chap34&35) Here is bamf arthur and a little more whump :) **TN Sarah, **here is a new update! Thanks for reviewing. **mrlnfan, **No... Ector's not coming back. Hehehe we're almost there... AND YES! LETTER'S... I'm just editing it... The letters updates are a lot longer than the OVoE updates, so they take me a bit longer...

* * *

**Escape From Darkness**

Arthur regained his art of light sleeping with a week of no drugs in his system. So when the door opened to his chambers, he came around but barely flinched and waited as Gregor came inside and shook him roughly. "Wakey, wakey, Princeling. Look who's back." Arthur opened his eyes quickly and Gregor jumped back at the steely look of determination in them.

The Prince lunged, grabbing his pillow where he'd so carefully spilt the numbing potion every morning and smothering it over Gregor's face. When the slightly taller man looked like he was going to fight back, Arthur kneed him between the legs – an attack looked down upon by the knights – and shoved him up against the wall.

A quick glance at the door told him there was no guard and he removed the pillow, only to slam his elbow into his nose instead.

Normally such a move would have knocked him out cold, but Gregor seemed to have an unnatural strength and he sprang at Arthur despite the blood pouring down his nose, slamming him back into the bed then yanking his left shoulder back with a cruel _snap_. Arthur gasped and hissed as Gregor flipped him over, knees either side of his waist and forced him to drink not even two sips of the potion before Arthur dragged his knees under him and threw the man off so he collided with the wall once more.

He spat out whatever of the potion was left in his mouth and stumbled momentarily but then spotted the chair. He picked it up, ignoring the pain throbbing out of his shoulder and down his arm and slammed it over Gregor's head.

This time, the man went down. Arthur panted for a little while then looked to the unlocked door grinning. Quickly, he searched all of Gregor and only found a long dagger and nothing else he could use as a weapon, but did find a set of keys and stuffed them away.

The potion meant for him was shattered and Arthur ignored it, then got up and tried to keep his head on straight despite the wooziness. In picking up the chair, his water jug had fallen too and he swore at not being able to drink to lighten the effects of the potion. He grabbed the food, shoving it into his pockets carelessly, a little drunk, then started sneaking out as best he could.

The first thing Arthur did was lock the door to his chambers behind him so Gregor couldn't get out anytime soon, then held the dagger, ready to fight as he back tracked through his memory for directions to Merlin's prison.

Along the way he encountered many mercenaries, but each of them he hid from until they passed and kept going on his way. He was merely going down the stairs of the tower until he reached the underground.

There was a barracks along the way, the men sleeping in bunks in a large chamber. When Arthur passed he door he was forced to dive into a recess a moment after as the men opened the door to leave. "…squeals like a pig when you do e jus' righ'." he heard the end of the first guards sentence.

"Nah, mate. Seems too scrawny… anyway, he's just a kid."

"He ain a kid. No' really. Looks about six'een at leas'."

"Someone told me he was twelve."

"Nah, young face. But 'es dark en there. Come af'er your shif'. Chrus' me. 'Es fun." Arthur tightened his grip on his dagger as the man who could say his t's walked by with the more reluctantly mercenary and knew what they were talking about. He had heard for hand what they were talking about. He gritted his teeth and waited for them to move just a little way ahead.

When they walked passed his hiding spot, Arthur walked out behind them and wrapped his arm around the neck of the companion of the man who couldn't say his 't's' and slit his throat, causing him to crumble.

The 'T'-man spun and, normally, Arthur would have killed him too in the next instant, but the drug dulled his reaction time and by the time he lifted his good arm to swing, the man had thrown his own punch, unarmed in the barracks.

Arthur flew back and slammed into the wall of the small hall, but had enough instinct to keep swinging his arm and adjusted it just enough to stab the man through the neck, holding the dagger there to prolong the pain.

The guard choked and guttered out blood and his last breath but Arthur simply glared at him. "I just want you to know, that, the boy is _fourteen_ and what you did to him is the reason why you're suffering now. You had no right to _breathe_ next to him and my only regret is that I don't have enough time to draw out your pain." Arthur twisted the dagger, causing the man's eyes to bulge and yanked it out, allowing the man to fall to his knees. For good measure, Arthur kicked him in the chest and his head cracked against the wall before he slumped dead.

His head spun and before he could drag the men back into the recess to hide the bodies, he leant against the wall to stop the queasiness. He felt as though he had drunk too much ale, but not enough to be drunk. With a groan, he hid the men then continued on his way.

It was a bit of a maze below the main level of the castle and it took him at least half an hour to navigate through back to where he knew Merlin was being kept. He finally recognised the hallway he was heading down and approached the guard's room in front of the prison.

It was a small round room, with barrels of wine loaded up on the sides. There were two guards sitting there, one large and stocky, the other tall and lean. The lean one he could see from the front and he had cold blue eyes to match his angry demeanour and hard-coiled muscles beneath his skin.

Both of them were immersed in a game of cards with a window lighting their game, showing Arthur at least it was morning. The Prince staggered a little at the effects of the drugs and propped himself up against the wall. There was no chance he could fight both of them the way he was, his energy spent from killing the guard who spoke about Merlin. It was probably the wrong thing for him to do, but with what he said and the way it sounded to Arthur, he couldn't help himself. The man had touched his Merlin and he wanted each of the men to pay for what they'd done.

After glancing around the place, Arthur spotted another recess and a torch in the scone. He removed the scone from the wall and threw at hard as he could as far as he could. It made a large clatter and Arthur slid into the recess and watched as the two men stood and vigilantly went to investigate.

While they were gone, Arthur crept through, behind the barrels in case they came back, and made his way down the hall. He knew it as the one he'd been dragged through and he slowly looked at each door up and down, trying to recognise it.

He finally reached the cell at the end of the dungeon and he felt his stomach turn over and bile slide up his throat at the stench emanating from it. He looked over his shoulder and no one was around, so he grabbed the handle of grate that covered the small bars and pushed it open.

There was someone inside and they didn't move or shift or even flinch at the sound of the grate scraping over the iron door. They were out, totally unconscious and huddled in the darkest of the shadows, barely visible. Arthur swallowed back the fear he had inside of him that the ragged creature inside the dungeon was his friend, but pressed his face between the bars so he could whisper. "Merlin? Merlin, is that you?" The animal looking person twisted slightly and leant back but then curled back on its side and whimpered.

It didn't reply to him and the shadows masked his identity but Arthur's gut told him that he was in the right place. He saw through glimpses of the dirty mangled fingers, wrapped around two big leather gloves and curling over even dirtier hair, clutching the ends in torment. The creature - or person - was shaking uncontrollably and breathing in wheezes like something was obstructing the air.

Weakly, with his shoulder still throbbing, he started fumbling for the key that would open the door, trying each one on the ring he had. With each sound of clattering keys the person inside whimpered more. Arthur prayed to the heavens it wasn't too late, and tried to silence the sound of jangling metal.

He found it eventually, the oldest and most rickety key in the entirety of Albion, and pushed the rusted door open with his good shoulder. It grazed against the ground and whoever was in the room twitched and jerked and pushed itself further into the corner like a frightened beast and buried himself into the corner with his back facing him, away from the hallway light.

The back was unrecognisable. Stretched and bloodied with lashes and he wore no shirt. Clumps of his hair had been ripped out from the roots and the pants that hung loosely around his hips were stained with blood and things Arthur didn't want to know about.

He didn't want this to be Merlin. He wanted to turn his back and leave this creature to the shadows and go and find his friend, but a horrible, horrible idea kept repeating in his mind that this was his friend.

"Merlin?" he called out again, being as gentle as he could be. "Please?" The thing didn't turn or move apart from the tremors. His feet caught in something. He looked down and saw a familiar brown jacket. Arthur shuddered then knelt down and picked it up, hesitantly stepping forward again.

Arthur's boot toed over the stone floor and he felt grit and smelt the slick scent of copper blood, rot and waste. He knelt down beside the body and put a hand on either shoulder, turning it lightly onto its back. A pale moon face, blackened with grime and dirt and only washed with tears revealed itself, clenched with fear and anguish and drenched in despair. "Merlin?" Arthur felt five years old and wasn't sure what to do.

His hands hovered over the small crumpled body and finally rested his hand back on Merlin's shoulder and the other on his neck, feeling clammy skin under the only two parts he could find that were uninjured, and watched Merlin shuddered and twist his head back in a nightmare. His cheeks were flushed, despite his grey pallor and he was burning up. He had been moving and responding but he had been very much unconscious.

"Merlin wake up." he said, shaking his shoulders. "Merlin, wake up!" He may have shaken him too hard because Merlin lurched up and thrashed.

He tried kicking Arthur away and grappling with him and he scratched his face with one of his long nails that wasn't curled around Arthur's gloves. As warm blood trickled down his face, the Prince had to pin Merlin down and lean over him. "Merlin. Merlin! It's me. I won't hurt you. Merlin, it's Arthur!"

The words seemed to resonate something in the back of his mind and he froze underneath him and stared up at the prince, blinking through familiar and strained blue eyes. "Arthur?" he whispered, his throat rubbed raw and croaking. When Arthur nodded, Merlin let out a shuddering breath and repeated, "Arthur?"

"Yes Merlin. It's me." He remembered from his Knight training always to approach tortured victims with the utmost hesitance as at any moment, they could lash out and hurt themselves as well as those around them. If the bleeding scar on his face was anything to go by, Merlin was definitely able to hurt him – though Arthur wasn't about to hold it against him. He relaxed his grip on Merlin but Merlin's hands came up and grabbed the hand on his neck, clenching it with inhuman strength.

"Arthur." Merlin said his name over and over in a hysterical chant as he scurried up and threw himself at Arthur despite the pain. He shook with relief and Arthur let his arms collapse over him, mindful of the lashes, as Merlin clawed at the fabric on the back of his shirt to make sure he was real. The only thing Arthur could hear was panicked breathing and his name repeated over and over into the crook of his neck. Merlin seemed to want to bury himself away and was perfectly content with doing so in Arthur's arms.

"I'm here, Merlin. I promise, I'm here." He shifted the jacket into both arms so he could drape it over Merlin's bare form, and wrapped him up as tight as he could.

The fevered hands on his back finally stilled as Merlin's mind seemed to register that it wasn't a dream and he took a sharp intake of breath and stopped his mumblings only to completely still and shake with tears. "I… I didn't… I didn't know… They… I didn't know." he squeezed Arthur's back then blinked up at him and whispered, "I did what you said. I didn't… I didn't fight back. I mean, I did… Once… But… Arthur, I didn't! But they didn't… I thought you said it would make things worse but… but it didn't make it better…" Nothing that he blabbered made any sense to the Prince, but he let him go and just dragged him back to his chest.

Foreign tears streamed down Arthur's neck and he didn't even care that Merlin was clutching onto his bad shoulder, even with the breath-taking ache. The blood stopped flowing to his legs and he could no longer feel them as he waited for Merlin to calm completely. He had started his own chant, reassuring Merlin he was real and things were okay and tried not to hear the echo of the screams. He glanced up and saw the funnel that had led sound to him and didn't know whether it had been a blessing or a curse to know his friend was alive.

Arthur knew he had to get them both out of there before a guard came but he couldn't move Merlin the way he was holding onto him and, by the feel of his head, he wouldn't be able to unless Merlin walked. He could already tell from his injuries – the ones he could see and the ones he could imagine – and the way he was trembling that there was only a slim chance that Arthur would be able to move him without help. His own injuries weren't nearly as horrific, but it wouldn't be possible for Arthur to carry Merlin all the way out of the castle _and_ defend them.

He looked around and knew no one would be checking his 'chambers' until lunch and no one seemed to be taking proper care of Merlin. _I need to get him out of this room though._

It was dark. There were no lights or windows and if the doors closed, the little light the torch outside the chamber provided would be completely engulfed. Arthur needed to watch the time and give Merlin and himself enough to come around to their senses and rest up enough to be moved. The world tilted to the side and Arthur had to steady himself before he threw up.

He lifted the boy up as best he could, ignoring the fact his dead weight was lighter than most children half his age and the throbbing in his shoulder, and dragged him into another open cell, only this one had light. The other thing it had was a door with no bars or windows so Arthur slid it shut after him, careful not to lock it and found a straw filled mattress which was better than the nothing Merlin had.

After a failed attempt of getting Merlin to lie down – the boy not letting go of Arthur – he sat them back on the wall and pulled Merlin against him, resting his head over his chest. "Relax, Merlin. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you." Arthur promised.

Merlin trembled like he was cold and still clutched onto Arthur's gloves with his jacket still thrown over his shoulders. "Come here." Arthur murmured, and he pried the gloves from Merlin's hands, his manservant reluctant to part from them. Patiently, Arthur threaded each of Merlin's arms through his jacket, struggling a little under his death grip, but managing to coax him into it. Then, he took each of Merlin's hands and slid the gloves over the ones they owned. They were too thick for him, but strangely, not long enough. Either way, Merlin squeezed his hands and stared at the gloves in awe.

Words formed in his mind as he remembered what Hunith had said to him in Ealdor. It had been something he couldn't forget, working it's way into his mind almost every other night before he slept. "All is well, all is fine, all is safe, if you are kind." Merlin moaned and cried and shook until he calmed enough to fall into a restless sleep against Arthur.

* * *

Kay and Leon were patiently sitting in Gaius's chambers as the man shuffled around the room, collecting the book they asked for. "You know, you can find a similar book with Geoffrey in the Library."

The knights exchanged looks then frowned. "Us? Library?" Kay shook his head.

Gaius sighed, clearly exasperated. "I apologise for the question." He dumped a book between Leon and Kay and the two started pulling apart the pages between them. Gaius stood behind them and watched then asked. "Is there anything I can help you with?" Leon and Kay glanced at each other again, a silent conversation emerging between them. "If it has to do with getting Merlin and Arthur back, I would like to know." Gaius eyed both the knights.

"It doesn't." Leon said.

"It might." Kay replied at the same time. They stared at each other, clearly on different pages.

When they both went to talk they fell silent at the sight of the others open mouth. Gaius sighed, "Leon first. His explanation sounds simpler."

"Morgana might be in danger." Leon said. "I'm quite convinced the Lady Morgause isn't all that she says she is and she has gotten awfully close to Morgana."

Kay looked up at Gaius, "And the Prince being kidnapped is a perfect distraction so the King won't be watching as she gains his wards attention."

Leon's head spun and he glared at Kay. "That's awfully elaborate. And that would mean Accolon is involved as well."

To that, the green eyed knight didn't reply. Rather he looked back through the books. "And what exactly are you looking for in there that will prove it true?" Gaius snapped, still not completely understanding.

"She wore a bracelet." Kay explained. "One I've seen before. On Lady Vivienne."

"Lady Vivienne?" Gaius gasped. "As in Morgana's mother?"

Kay nodded. "It was a token from Goloris. I remember, there was some dilemma where it went missing and she was…" he drifted off and glanced at Leon before looking back at Gaius.

Gaius knew exactly what Kay was talking about and, it seemed, so did Leon. "When the Lady Vivienne was plagued with nightmares. Like Morgana. I do remember. The King once asked me to guard her chambers and explained it was a family curse to have nightmares, running through her mothers side."

The other two nodded and Kay kept flicking through until he stopped. "There. That's it. I was right."

Gaius leant over and spotted the bracelet that Kay had seen and grew sombre. "This is not good."

Both knights looked up and frowned. "What isn't good?" Leon asked, but Gaius had already snatched up the book and was shuffling away to see the King.

* * *

The scared and tired Prince of Camelot looked up to the ceiling of the dungeon and fought back tears and sleep. There was no way he could break down, not when he had so much depending on him and the boy in his arms, fast asleep, needed him to be stronger than what he was.

He kept one hand on his dagger, the other tightly around Merlin, ignoring the fact his friend needed to bathe and the grime against his skin. He ignored the blood that slipped onto him. He ignored the pain in his shoulder. He needed Merlin ready to move so he ignored everything that stood between him and getting Merlin better. Arthur could move on pure adrenaline, but Merlin was too distraught and injured to even stand.

Arthur was straining too, but exhausted in a different way. The fight had taken much of his energy stores out of him and his mouth was desperately dry because of that _stupid_ potion. He needed water, at least a sip, to get through the slow throbbing in his head, though he couldn't count the punch he took to the jaw. For a second, he rested his head on Merlin's and closed his eyes as they became heavier.

However before he could drift off, Merlin hiccupped in his sleep, waking him by making his pained teeth slam together. "Thanks." he mumbled to the otherwise unaware boy and Arthur tilted his head back, keeping awake to be on guard. He shifted his hand through Merlin's hair, needing to do something to feel useful. His hand gave Merlin comfort and he could see the etches of pain on his face dying away with every stroke until his expression became peaceful. "I'm sorry this happened to you." Arthur said sincerely, keeping his voice as quiet as possible and staring at the wreck that now was Merlin. "I'll get you out of here. I'll get you better."

He tilted again and Arthur saw Merlin in double and the edges of his vision blackened. _You need to stay awake, Arthur!_ The voice in his head was shouting at him and Merlin shifted against him to remind him why he needed to stay awake. He opened his eyes as wide as he could, but the next thing Arthur knew, everything around was tilting and blacked out, both him and Merlin falling onto the mattress.

* * *

When Arthur opened his eyes again, the sun was setting outside and he almost swore, but kept silent in case. His dizziness had completely subsided and he knew they _had_ to move now but he grew sick at the thought of waking Merlin. The younger was cocooned on his chest, fingers wrapped around his shirt and eyes shut, looking untroubled. He couldn't sit up without disturbing him, and it made Arthur hesitant. If the bruises under his eyes and the earlier display were anything to go by, it was probably the first time in a long while Merlin had been able to relate peace to sleep and the way he was nuzzled against him, Arthur knew it had something to do with him.

"Merlin." he said gently, running a hand through his hair to relax him if he jolted. "Wake up." His voiced shook with nerves but he tried to remain as calm as he could. "You've rested, now we need to go."

"Arthur?" Merlin looked blearily up at him and reached out like a babe to touch the side of his face. Arthur unconsciously tilted his head closer so Merlin's whole hand fanned out on his cheek. He frowned, scrutinising him and swallowed. "Dream...?"

Arthur shook his head. "No. I'm real."

"M'kay…" Merlin's hand fell back against his chest and he closed his eyes again.

"We've rested, Merlin." Arthur said, shaking him light as he sat them both up finally. Arthur crossed his legs and Merlin fell into him. "You need to wake up now so we can get out of here."

"Tired." he mumbled. "It hurts…"

"I know, but you need to get up." Arthur stopped shaking him and started pushing the hair that was stuck to his sweaty face off. He sighed and tried something he didn't often do with Merlin and nudged their foreheads together to help him build up the courage. "Please, Merlin. We need to go home and I need you." he pleaded.

Slowly, Merlin opened his eyes and he stared into Arthur's eyes. He batted his eyes and nodded then leant forward again but became compliant. He wasn't responding anymore but Merlin was awake enough to be moved. He was staring out into nothing and, by the vacant look of distress in his eyes, his head was reliving nightmares Arthur's comfort had put at ease.

Carefully, as not to frighten him, Arthur got onto his knees and helped drag Merlin up so the two were kneeling. It helped that he and Merlin were at the same height, though Arthur still wouldn't admit to it.

He shifted Merlin's head to his good shoulder and grunted as he stood them up. Merlin's knees tried to give out underneath him but they had no time left. He had afforded Merlin – and himself – all the time he could. Despite his own hunger and weakness, he half dragged, half carried Merlin to the door, one of his legs pretty much useless.

Just as he was about to grab the handle, he heard a furious shout approaching their end of the hall. "They can't have gone far! I want them found! Now!" There was a door slam and Merlin jerked up, gasping.

Before he could have a full out panic attack, Arthur pulled them both back down to the ground and pinned Merlin underneath him – not wanting him to thrash whilst standing and be able to make noise – covering his mouth with his hand to silence him. Merlin's eyes widened in alarm but Arthur forced himself into Merlin's vision and pressed his finger over his own mouth to indicate what he needed. "_Quiet_." Arthur mouthed and Merlin trembled but did as he was told.

"How could they escape!" Arthur recognised the voice as Odin and he quickly gathered Merlin up and pulled them back against the wall behind the door. Merlin would have groaned if Arthur's hand hadn't been around his mouth. "He was supposed to be drugged and there was always to be a guard on the door!"

"We've sent out patrols…" _Roland, _Arthur thought, growling to himself and Merlin simply whimpered and Arthur held him tighter.

"They've been gone for an entire day! Send word to the men in Camelot…" the words started trailing off and Arthur could hear they were leaving, the dungeons being abandoned.

He looked down and saw Merlin wrapped around his chest, fingers dug into his shirt and shaking. His eyes were bruised and watering and he alternated between looking at the door, Arthur's face and the small window in the room.

When Arthur eased his hand from Merlin's mouth the younger stared up at him with eyes as wide as the moon. "Arthur?" he asked.

"Yeah, Merlin. It's me." he reassured him for the third time that day, but for the first time, his eyes were more alert and narrowed in concentration. The Prince breathed a sigh of relief. Merlin's hysteria seemed to be gone for the moment and he hoped he would stay around for a while. "Hey." Arthur said, trying to smile.

Merlin half smiled back and nodded shyly. "Hi."

As a prince, Arthur had been forced to learn of many things. One of the hardest things he ever had to listen to were victims tales. His father had forced him to face victims of torture when they were returned home. A lot of them had moments of lucidness between flashes where they were blinded by the nightmares in their memories. He cleared his throat and swallowed. "How long have you been here?"

"A day." Arthur whispered. "I was going to get out but then I couldn't stand up… But they don't know we're here. They think we've already escaped."

"Wh-What…" Before he could ask anything else, there was another noise outside the door.

"The King is going to have our heads if we don't find them."

"I don't understand. We were sitting the guard's room all day. I didn't see anyone leaving."

Arthur looked at Merlin whose eyes glazed over in fear at the sound of their voices. Arthur waved a hand sharply in front of his face as he saw his manservant start to retreat into himself and a sharp hitched breath erupted from his chest. On the third wave, Merlin looked up at him, his breath quickening even more.

Arthur took his chin in his hand and forced Merlin to look him in the eyes. "I won't let them hurt you." he said as quietly as he could.

Merlin nodded and swallowed back the bile. His lip trembled then he leant closer to Arthur's ear, not trusting his own voice. "The bigger one..." Merlin barely whispered. "Malcolm… I broke… His leg. The right one. It's still..." he couldn't finish his sentence but Arthur gathered the idea.

Arthur realised that Merlin had spent the last three weeks with these men, studying them as he did with his guards. "Anything else?"

Tears spilt down Merlin's face and he wiped them away hastily, gasping every now and then but keeping it as quiet as he could. "Julian... Is left handed... Not by choice... Right is missing..." he shuddered and closed his eyes, murmuring numbers under his breath. "Two fingers. The middle and the small one and his shoulder has... Has old injuries. Malcolm has a war injury, left thigh. Makes him... It hurts him. Julian... I think he has a bend in the spine. Felt it once… Makes him the weaker fighter."

He opened his eyes again and the pure terror within them was enough to scare Arthur. "Please don't make me see them?" Merlin begged. "I've never seen their faces. It's always dark. I don't want to... Don't make me... Please?" He put his head down on his knees and curled up in the corner. Arthur hushed him quietly and pulled him back into his arms. This time instead of clinging to him, Merlin sat still and turned hard like a sculpture.

Arthur was scared. The boy in front of him wasn't Merlin. Merlin had never clung to him for comfort like he had earlier before, nor did he reject touch completely. Merlin had never gotten scared like this before either. He didn't jump in fright at the sound of voices and he wasn't a trembling panicky servant.

He was Merlin, for crying out loud! The child who called Uther Pendragon a prat in front of the entire court and took down a damn Giant!

Arthur sat beside him and weakly pushed back his hair from his forehead so he could try and see his face. He desperately needed a haircut and he had a fever that was making things worse, the long strands soaked with sweat. "I need you to stay here and not to move until I come and get you. Did you hear me?"

Merlin nodded.

"What did I say then?"

With his voice barely audible, he replied, "Don't move until you come and get me."

"Good." Arthur forced Merlin to look up at him and stared at the broken mess he'd become, but ignored it so Merlin didn't see his own pain. "I'll come and get you Merlin and I swear those two will never, ever touch you again. Do you believe me?"

Merlin didn't reply and Arthur forced on his most charming grin. "Come on. I can't do it of you don't believe me." He needed to see Merlin laugh or even smile. Hell, Arthur would go with getting called a prat again.

"I've always believed you." Merlin said honestly, his face paling a little. "It's the only reason I didn't die or give up." Almost hearing Arthur's biggest yearning, Merlin tried smiling and added, "Prat."

Letting out a sigh, Arthur found himself hugging Merlin in relief and the two lanky arms of his manservant found their way around his back. After a short embrace, Arthur got up and made sure Merlin was safely hidden in the shadows of the corridor. He had a problem leaving him alone and in the dark for the briefest of seconds but then reasoned it was for the best and that the sun was still setting outside.

He pulled the dagger up and the blessing of the room without bars on the door was now a curse. He pressed his ear against the door and could hear one man breathing against the door. One of them was leaning on the very door he stood behind. Arthur bit his lip and pulled away from the door. He turned back and looked around the room, finding a set of chains in the corner, unhinged to anything.

When he went to collect it off the ground, Arthur silenced the clanking as much as he could and turned back to the door. He crept over quietly, aware of Merlin's eyes watching his every movement and the sound the chains were making. He glanced at Merlin one last time, communicating to him to stay where he was.

Quick as a flash of lightning, Arthur shoved the door open and the man – Malcolm, the larger one – toppled forward. Before either guard could turn around, Arthur threw the chains around Malcolm's neck and yanked him back, choking him.

Julian turned to see Malcolm choking and gave out a furious shout, yanking his sword out. Arthur put both chains in his one hand and tightened his grip on Malcolm before using the dagger to stab Malcolm in the kidneys. He let Malcolm fall and dropped the dagger as he threw the chain out and it collided with Julian's arm, wrapping around his limb.

Arthur spun the chain around his own body and yanked it as hard as he could, causing Julian to fall against him. He knocked his skull into the sightly taller mans, his cold blue eyes widening and glazing over as he dropped his sword. Arthur spun around again to untangle himself and dropped the chain, kicking the sword up into his hands.

Julian ducked the first swing Arthur delivered but the second one slashed through his arm. The third got him in the shoulder and Julian got to throw a punch but it missed its mark. Arthur pulled out the sword and Julian started to fall. Arthur slid around him and stabbed him in the back before he touched the ground, killing him.

The man didn't even gasp as he fell into the stone, and Arthur drew back, wondering if he should bless his kill as a human or a beast. He was staring at him for so long, that he had forgotten all about Malcolm.

The man in question had quietly gotten up, favouring his left leg and ignoring the blood in his side. He lifted up the chains Arthur had dropped, ready to bring about Arthur's demise the same way Arthur had planned to do away with him. A harsh cry got both Malcolm and Arthur to spin around, just in time to see Merlin pick up the dagger and stab Malcolm in the heart. Arthur watched in shock as before Malcolm could fall, Merlin pulled the dagger out and stabbed him again, and again until Malcolm was very much dead and Merlin was simply screaming hysterically and stabbing a dead body.

Arthur growled as he wrapped his arms around Merlin's waist and pulled him away. "It's over." he said into Merlin's ear. "Merlin, he's dead." He pulled Merlin's arms above his head and put his arms around his chest, tugging him back until he dropped the dagger with a clatter.

Merlin didn't quite register it was Arthur holding him and started bucking and kicking to get him off. "Get off me! Let me go!" he screamed and eventually, Arthur complied.

Merlin fell to his knees and panted, holding himself up with his arms and gasping for air that hadn't quite reached his lungs. It occurred to him that he had never been let go before and he wiped his tear filled face to see it come back with fresh blood that, for once, was not his own.

He felt like hurling as his mind caught up on what he'd done and he looked blearily up at Arthur, sniffing. His hands shook uncontrollably as the fact he'd just killed someone resonated through his mind. Yes, he'd helped kill a Giant and killed many magical beasts in order to save Arthur and yes, he had knocked how many bandits and sorcerer's unconscious long enough for someone else to take them to Uther but Merlin had never struck the blow. Merlin had never killed before. "I want to go home." he mumbled, leaning back and crossing his arms over his good leg, shaking violently.

Arthur said nothing about his ignored orders and gently helped Merlin up and let him lean against him. Arthur carried the majority of his teetering weight and kept shooting nervous glances at him. He left the dagger but he took the sword and tugged Merlin alone, holding his hands the entire time, Merlin gripping the one with all ten of his long and lanky fingers. "Follow me." Arthur murmured, leading him back through to the guards main chambers.

"No." Merlin stopped and Arthur jarred back. "Wait." He turned his head and looked at the door that led into what was his prison. Quickly, Merlin let go of Arthur with one hand and started wipe away his tears. He looked at Arthur then back at the door. "I… Your ring. It's…" Merlin pointed at the door and Arthur felt his mouth go dry.

"I'll get it." Arthur said. He started letting go of Merlin's wrist but the younger caught his arm.

"You won't find it." he said a little desperately. "Just come in with me?"

Arthur nodded and laced their fingers together instead, leading them back and Merlin stayed just behind, curled against his arm frightfully. There was a table in the middle of the room, stone and build into the ground. Merlin shuddered and pushed Arthur to walk around to the corner the two had been in when they were first thrown in.

Behind where Merlin had sat, there was nothing but a wall. "Where is it?"

His manservant walked around Arthur and fell to one knee – his good one – wiping his eyes before feeling around and sliding out a brick. "I found… I found this one day." Merlin dug his hand in and pulled out the leather necklace with Arthur's ring still hanging from it. He wiped the tears that were coming without his permission and said, "I kept it safe."

Arthur reached out and took the necklace then fastened it back around Merlin's neck. "Just a little bit longer, alright? Keep it safe just a little longer." He picked Merlin back up and pulled them together back out.

"We need to move quickly." Arthur said, but Merlin was limping. Arthur was just lucky there were no more guards around the lower levels of the castle, all patrols sent out to find them.

On one of the higher levels, there were a few men and, this time, Merlin followed orders and stayed out of the fight, physically. Only something had clicked in Merlin's head and he felt aware and remembered his magic. The first time he tried using it, he flinched just after the man who was about to attack Arthur, burnt his hand and dropped his sword.

He had expected pain but instead, he felt warmth and freedom. He tilted his head back and sighed in relief, a small amount of hope erupting inside of him. "Come on." Arthur said, dragging him out from the alcove he was hiding in.

They reached an intersection, and Merlin tugged Arthur's hand. "This way." he said. Arthur tried to question how he knew but Merlin seemed so lost in his own thoughts he didn't bother and just trusted that his manservant had been paying attention when they were being led in.

Merlin, in truth, hadn't been paying attention at all, too consumed with pain and exhaustion to bother when they had arrived. However he felt his way through, his body reminding him that he could use his magic to guide them through safe passages. He was sore and in pain from head to toe and he walked with a limp to ease areas of burden, but his destiny of keeping Arthur safe burnt through his mind for the first time since that first night he'd spent in the dungeons as he pulled the prince along.

They reached the stables and Arthur thought they were being stealthy when they snuck passed the guards, but in reality, Merlin had diverted their attentions with magic. He didn't even have to command it to be, his magic working raw, as it had done before he moved to Camelot.

There was only one horse there and Arthur propped Merlin up against a wall as he saddled the animal up himself and found blankets that he put on the back to carry with them.

Merlin, unable to stand still, stumbled across the stables and found a pack there. He rifled through and found some bandages, coins, soaps, vials for potions, a water skin and an apple. It reminded Merlin of his own pack, only it was missing something. "Arthur... My dagger." Merlin said quietly.

Arthur looked up at him, frowning. He hadn't heard what he said. "What?"

"My father's dagger… I don't know..." he swallowed numbly and realised he was considering going back into the dungeons to risk his life for a dagger and that in itself was utter lunacy, but he couldn't help it. "Doesn't matter." he mumbled, catching sight of a worried Arthur. His words were so slurred, he hadn't understood. "Let's just go."

He lifted the pack over his head but failed at the simple movement until Arthur came and assisted him. He stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and Merlin looked at Arthur, eyebrow raised. "Merlin… your father's dagger." Arthur's eyes rested on Merlin's neck at the ring then back up to his eyes. "I'll make it up to you."

"You don't have to." Merlin smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes and he wavered tiredly. "Let's go. We've wasted enough time here."

The prince then helped his manservant onto the horse and climb up onto the steed behind him. Arthur tightened his arms around Merlin's waist to hold him steady and took off, ignoring the protesting guards at the gate.

They heard a bell toll behind them but it was far too late for that. Merlin felt the pain in his back as he leant his wounds back on Arthur's chest and the searing in his ribs and hip with every jolt of the horse but, as his mind fogged into unconsciousness, he knew it was a pain he preferred.

* * *

"What?" Morgause shouted. She almost threw the mirror down and broke it, but held the looking glass more firmly. "Are you telling me, you let him escape?"

Odin growled, "I didn't let him escape. He was supposed to be drugged."

Morgause's eyes burnt yellow and the candles in her room lit up and burnt higher than naturally possible. "I don't care how you failed. I'm only interested in how you are going to fix it."

"They only left an hour ago and weren't heading back to Camelot. The Prince was riding east."

"Then find him." Morgause snapped. "Or I will tell the King exactly who took his son." She broke off the magic of the connection and she was staring back at her own reflection, her own eyes blazing back at her with fury.

There was a loud crash and Morgause turned around to see her door slamming open and the guards of Camelot storming in. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded.

"Lady Morgause, you are being arrested under suspect of sorcery and magic."

Morgause glared but let herself get dragged away, not resisting or fighting as they forced her to the Council Chambers and down to her knees in front of the king. She looked up only when her knees connected with the ground and her eyes focused on the King who sat with the Court Physician standing by his side.

On his other side sat Morgana in her smaller throne, looking between the King and Morgause, confused with panic in her eyes. Arthur's chair was on the King's other side, the Prince's absence constantly drawing eyes to the empty chair.

The High Priestess was held down on her position as Prince Accolon and his men were also brought in, dragged from their chambers. Accolon was unconscious as were his men, the way that Morgause had left them to keep them from trouble. "What is this? Why are they not awake?" Uther demanded.

"We don't know sire." Leon answered, dropping the Prince from Gaul to the ground. "They were all asleep when we found them."

Uther turned his gaze to Morgause. "What is this? Is this a spell you have put them under?" Morgause glared but didn't speak. Uther looked up at Gaius who kept his lips firmly shut. "Did you or did you not practice magic on the Isle of the Blessed?"

The blonde looked up at Morgana whose eyes were now focused on the bracelet. With a smirk on her lips, she turned her head back to Uther and raised her eyebrow. "Are you here to plot against the crown?" Uther growled.

There was no response, and the King was not taking kindly to being ignored. The entire court could hear his breathing and all saw the cruel smirk on Morgause's face, no one quite sure what to make of it. Uther's fists tightened. "What have you done with my son? Where is Arthur?!"

Morgause looked to Morgana more than Uther then leant back on her legs. "Farewell for now. We shall meet again. I have something I must one day return for." she nodded her head and only Morgana caught Morgause's gaze upon her bracelet. Morgana clasped her fingers around the metal and squeezed it. "_Wídsij feorwegbyre_." A magic wind swept through the room and took Morgause away on it, the Sorceress disappearing from their sights.

Uther clenched his fist around the arms of his chair and growled, "I want her found! Send out the patrols and–"

There was a choking noise that interrupting Uther's demands and the court turned see Accolon waking up his eyes pulling out from the back of his head and sitting up. Swords started pointing at him and all the other men from Gaul as they all woke up.

Accolon started demanding things in Gaulish, and Uther stared around his guardsmen until one of them started translating, explaining to the Prince where he was and what was happening. He blinked a few times before looking up to Uther and a look of understanding crossed his eyes as memories flooded back. "Odin…" he said quietly. He blinked and then looked straight up at Uther. "She made me burn a strip of material that had the name 'Odin' written in blood. I didn't know, sire. I was under a spell."

Uther looked to Walden and Arnold who stood on the side of the room and they got the message, both of them nodding and taking their men to set out to Odin's Kingdom.

* * *

Arthur only had enough time to tighten his arms around Merlin to stop him falling off the horse. He pulled him back, his head lolling on his good shoulder. "Merlin?" he said, panicking, his young friend falling into unconsciousness. He looked behind him and saw guards following.

He had no time to worry about Merlin and lashed at the reigns to make the horse to faster. They wove in and out of the forest to lose them and moved deeper in until finally he knew they were out of Odin's country and somewhere in Cendred's, east of where they had started. The hooves behind him had long ago disappeared as Arthur wove through patterns to distract them. Even when it was passed midnight and there was no one there, Arthur didn't look back, tears blurring his eyes but being whipped away by the winds.

Finally, after hours - but what felt like days - they reached a stream leading into a cave far enough from Druin that Arthur felt safe.

He got off the horse and left Merlin on as he tied the steed up. It took a long while, but Arthur managed to gently slide Merlin from the horses back and pulled him up in his arms, ignoring the twinges (stabbing) of pain (absolute agony) in his left shoulder.

He walked over to a large stone, perfectly smooth and just on the edge of the river with the cave wall just behind. There, he rested Merlin down, propping him up against a rock and trying to make him as comfortable as possible.

He pulled off the pack Merlin had collected and looked through it himself. He pulled out the bandages and the soap and only hoped he had enough. Gently, he pried Merlin's jacket off and the younger boy winced repetitively at the pain.

He woke up, startled and moaned, trying to shove Arthur away and murmuring, "No. Please, no…"

"Shush, shush..." Arthur smiled awkwardly, hoping a friendly face would calm him. "I'm just cleaning your wounds. You can sleep if you want."

Merlin finally sought him out and stopped struggling. He closed his eyes and relaxed but didn't sleep. Arthur saw him retreat into himself, obviously deeming this moment as good as any to let him fall apart once more, slow tears crawling down the corners of his eyes. He wondered how much effort Merlin put into holding himself together. Arthur swallowed nervously and focused instead on the task at hand.

The jacket was fairly clean, having been discarded early on and he had no shirt. The pants were filthy, stained with blood and things Arthur didn't want to think about, but they were washable and the rips and holes weren't bad enough to call them useless, though a few belt loops had been snapped.

He frowned.

Arthur had never cleaned clothes before in his life. Hell, he had never attended to wounds as bad as these before either. But he stripped Merlin down anyway and folded the jacket and pants, laying his gloves on top of the pile, then pulled a blanket up around his waist and tried.

He let a strange nattering in his head - that sounded an awful lot like Gaius when he was on a roll with a lecture - direct him to use the pants to collect water from the stream and wash him down with the soap, getting all the dirt off his chest and face and legs and scrubbing him until his dark grimy skin was pale and Merlin-y again.

Embarrassed, he occasionally mistook bruises and cuts in the dark night sky for dirt and smudges and only Merlin's small whimpers followed by a hurried apology from his own mouth told him otherwise.

After hesitating twice, he pressed his fingers against the ladder of ribs and felt each of them in turn. Merlin jerked at first but opened his eyes and saw Arthur and registered what he was doing. His jaw tightened as Arthur found the cracks and breaks under his skin and found one of his ribs was broken but not in any risk of damaging anything. His finger deftly moved down and found one of the reasons why Merlin was limping was a crack in his hip and the other, his leg. He frowned as he looked over the bruising and he recognised the injury. "Merlin, did your leg come out?" he asked, more than little sickened as he lightly fingered the swelling.

He opened his eyes and smiled weakly. "It was worth it." Arthur didn't understand but Merlin tilted his head back and closed his eyes again, the world fading away from him again. It was alright though because Arthur found himself falling into his own world as he tried to match, which scream he'd heard to this injury but they all started blurring into one. He found a cool stone and laid it gently over the swelling and Merlin hissed, then sighed, looking more relaxed as he reached his hand out and held it in place. When Arthur glanced down later, he saw Merlin's knuckles turning, somehow, more white as he clutched the cold stone in his sleep.

He filled the water skin and started rubbing soap through Merlin's blood and dirt-encrusted hair, rinsing it thoroughly until the water ran through clean. He carded his hand through Merlin's hair a few times to feel for any injuries and winced when his fingers ran over a bump and a long thin cut that had Merlin turning his head away unconsciously. Moving with more hesitance than he was used to, he pushed Merlin's hair over and looked between the strands to determine the scar was too old to worry about and most of the bruising was from where his hair had been ripped out.

Merlin roused himself enough to willingly lay on his stomach and Arthur washed the ribboned parts with more care, his forehead furrowing in concentration as he tried to clean them without hurting him.

The lashings on his back were crusted up and old, if Arthur remembered correctly, from the first few weeks of their imprisonment, and some of them were festering quite badly, in colours of yellow, purple and black. Merlin twitched at every touch and Arthur knew some of the worse infections needed to be cut out before they could kill him. He found the original eight, most of which had become infected through lack of care.

Once, as a child, he had gone on a travel with his father, a platoon of men and Gaius. They had gone to a neighbouring kingdom for treaties and Gaius had been told to come along as the prince of their kingdom had a festering war wound that had not been treated.

_"Sometimes Arthur, you need to reopen old wounds so you can retreat them to force them to heal properly." _the physician explained.

Arthur had followed Gaius along, barely eight years old and watched as the infection had gotten so bad, Gaius had heated a sharp a knife with fire and scraped all the skin off then put a new salve and re-bandaged it because the wounds weren't horrifyingly deep.

When he asked Gaius why he burnt the knife first, he replied, _"Because it sterilises the blade and the heat encourages blood flow and healing."_

Merlin's back very much reminded him of the other prince's wound in colour. The whip they used hadn't been too abrasive, most likely just made from leather, but the infection made mountains on Merlin's back. He glimpsed down at his sword, wondering if he was crazy enough to do it. He didn't have salve but he looked around the immediate area and could see some herbs and Merlin knew what salves to make.

Gaius had also sedated the prince with a potion but Arthur had no such luxury. Another few days and Arthur was sure Merlin would die. He had no idea where they were, keen to just get away and it had been a three days walk to Druin from the Darkling woods. Arthur needed to prepare for the worst and there were already parts of his skin that were black had insects buzzing around, attempting to eat at the dead flesh.

"Merlin, how bad do you want to live?" Arthur asked. Merlin cracked his eye open as if to ask him if he was serious or not. "From where I sit, I see a collection of herbs. Tell me which ones will make something that will fight off infection."

Merlin briefly looked up and to where Arthur could see herbs. "That flower... Dig up it up from its roots. Ground the roots together with the leaves and some water. Makes a good salve to temporarily stop infection... Eat the flower and the bulb and it increases your immunity."

"Brilliant. Now anything to make you pass out?" Merlin looked again and shook his head. "We'll make do then. Stay here."

Merlin didn't even bother arguing that he was too tired to move.

Arthur lit a fire, collected a bunch of flowers and even found a stone to grind it all into a greenish mush. He dragged Merlin closer to the fire and laid him over a blanket. Arthur made sure he kept Merlin's head turned away as he warmed the steel of the sword over the naked flame. "You trust me, right Merlin?" he asked, waiting for the blade to be hot enough.

Merlin nodded weakly.

"And you know I'd never, ever intentionally hurt you. Really hurt you. Not our games or me throwing things at your head."

Again, Merlin nodded.

"Good, good. Just remember that, okay?" He took the apple from the bag and put it in front of his manservant's mouth. "Bite down for me, will you?" Merlin frowned but did as told. As soon as he started biting into the apple, Arthur swiped the heated blade over Merlin's skin, scraping off the dead infection.

Merlin screamed but the apple was lodged in deep and his shouts were smothered. He spat the fruit out as he choked and screamed in agony but Arthur quickly shoved it back in, tears in his eyes as he used his other hand to rub Merlin's hair to calm him. "This is for your own good. Your back is infected, just don't move."

Merlin twitched for a few more seconds but then calm enough to lean his head into Arthur's palm. He hummed against the apple and Arthur removed it long enough for Merlin to pant, "Just… do… it." He took the apple from Arthur's hand and shoved it between his clenched teeth and Arthur wanted to demand how the servant had gotten so damn brave.

Instead, he wiped the blade quickly to clean it with the still wet pants and the sound of water meeting fire hissed through the air. He warmed it again, quicker this time and once more scraped over the dead skin, opening up some wounds and cleaning others of blackened skin.

Merlin screamed again but this time held the apple in his mouth, forcing himself to muffle his cries and bury his head into the ground and slamming his fist against the stone he laid on. Arthur put his hand on the nape of Merlin's neck to simultaneously hold him steady and comfort him by tracing small circles with his thumb, but tried concentrating more on his work.

He repeated this until Merlin's back was a bright and much healthier looking red - despite all the blood - and then threw the sword aside, not wanting to hurt Merlin anymore.

Arthur quickly washed the wounds again, this time using his own cleaner shirt, and spread the salve over his back and bandaged him up as best he could, then stepped away, afraid to hurt him anymore. "Done. It's over Merlin. I cleaned your wounds."

Merlin didn't seem to be listening; his eyes were glazed with pain and stared out into nothing. Arthur put more blankets over him and gathered more water in the bladder and went back to Merlin, helping him up and supporting his neck as he rested the mouth of the skin on the edge of Merlin's lips. "Drink." he murmured and Merlin followed orders, swallowing the water greedily until Arthur withdrew the bottle. "Not too much."

Once he settled Merlin back down, he picked up the pants and his own shirt. "You rest. I'll be back." Merlin didn't even move, but Arthur could see him breath so all was well.

He went down to the stream and washed and tended to himself then tried his best to make Merlin's pants as clean as he could whilst ignoring the stains. He turned his head every now and then to check on him, and when he was finished Merlin's things, washed his own things, hung them all up to dry on a tree and pulled a blanket around him. Arthur really hoped they wouldn't get attacked because he had no real desire to fight off anyone naked and after what he'd seen, what he'd heard… he just needed to be clean again.

He spent the night on watch, letting Merlin rest until he couldn't keep his own eyes open, somewhere close to dawn. He was starving and exhausted as well as battered so it didn't take long until he fell asleep too, under the twinkling stars.

* * *

I fell asleep while trying to upload all of this and just woke up to click 'submit!' Review please and thanks ;)


	37. Waking Up

**A/N: **(sigh) I just spent an hour editing the last part of this chapter and replying to all the reviews... then I hit 'refresh' on the page instead of 'save'... Here we go again. :/ **A maze thing, **you very well may start off every review like that, because I just might have been exceptionally cruel to Merlin these last few chapters. And yes, he's finally killed someone (and been aware of it) and yay! BAMF! Arthur is always good. ;) No, Uther's not really going to care about Merlin, but doesn't mean he doesn't care at all! Cavalry is arriving and yes, there shall be doting. :) **bubzchoc, **Thank you! **camoc,** thank you very much! I haven't written a disclaimer for a few chapters. You have inspired me to write a new one... Now that I have a reputation for them, the pressure is on! **Bundibird, **Yes they have escaped! But for how long... *dun-dun-duuun* Odin's in trouble with EVERYONE, and Morgause is a biatch and Leon and Kay are _very_ clever. ;) (... Exciting moment for me... 'Boom Baby' just happens to be me and my friendship groups catchphrase... :) That makes me happy) I don't know if you've done this by accident or not but... HOW DID YOU KNOW THERE WERE TWO MEN?! I haven't even put that into _Letters_ yet... And you haven't read Letters, as far as I know. :O... But yes, Ouch. I am glad to explain anything to you whenever, unless it's a spoiler... :) I have been working on an escape plan for them since i knew they were going to be captured which was literally, the first week of me writing the first few chapters, and that was probably the best... though there was another one I was tempted to use, but it ruined everything... I do have a plan for this and there is an overall story arch and plot and every chapter has a little clue to the end. And Arthur has hugged him... and he will get hugged again. The recovery part of this all is the next chapter but this part ties up (most of the) loose ends of this mini plot. Thank you for the compliment and your prays. :) **mrlnfan, **my room is right next to the nurses station and when I read your review I _literally_, punched the air and whooped and got really excited that someone understood... I cheered and did a little dance and the nurse ran in and asked me what was wrong but I was grinning so wide she left soon after thinking I was deranged. So THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEW! **anita4869, **all I can say to your entire review is 'IT'S ALL APART OF THE PLAN!' ;) Here is the next chapter. **IndiaMoore, **Here is more. Thank you for the review. More brotherly Arthur. (It took me four goes to _not _spell 'more' like 'moore' in your name... I'm dyslexic, let me go) **Distressed Clover, **thank you so much for that compliment. I am fine. I bounce back awesomely ;) **Die Schreiber, **No. Thank you for your awesomeness! LoL... I will send Merlin your cuddle. **TN Sarah, **ALL APART OF THE PLAN. :) hehehe... Read on!

**Disclaimer: **Of course I own Merlin. That is why I'm writing on Fanfiction. Look at all this invisible money I'm rolling in. *throws invisible cash to the left, throws invisible cash to the right*... *shakes head slowly* stupid disclaimers...

* * *

**Waking Up**

When Arthur woke up, he could smell something cooking. It was night, though he wasn't sure if day had passed or not, his relativity to time passing still unreliable. Judging by the fact he felt well rested for the first time in a long while, he assumed he'd slept the day through.

_But where is that smell coming from,_ he wondered. He sniffed the air and sat up wearily, looking around blearily and yelped when he saw an old man huddled over his fire cooking something. "Hey!" he shouted, jumping up with the blanket still wrapped around him. He picked up his sword and pointed it at the man. "I will kill you!" he warned.

The man looked up at him wearily. "Put the sword down boy, before you cut off something you'd much rather have."

Arthur looked down at himself then remembered why he had clutched to the blanket so much. His clothes had been drying and he was in nothing but his undergarments, Merlin in even less in an equal distance between Arthur and the newcomer. "Who are you?" Arthur demanded.

The man shrugged. "I live in that cave over there. I heard your friend screaming last night. I thought you'd go away but it seems you decided to stay. Felt bad for you when I saw you unconscious still in the mid afternoon so I thought you'd want food." He pointed to the venison that was cooking over the fire. "Want food, boy?"

Arthur's mouth watered at the scent of the salted meat, though Arthur had no idea what this stranger had salted it with. His stomach turned painfully at the thought of his last meal and he could only imagine what Merlin's food had been like, noting when he'd been tending to him that he had lost a ridiculous amount of weight. "Can I pull my clothes back on?" he asked.

The man snorted. "Wasn't going to stop you. And your friend. He's been tossing and turning. I suggest he too wakes and eats something and dresses."

Arthur winced. "Um… Do you have a spare shirt… for him?"

The man looked slightly annoyed but then nodded. "Aye." he got up and went into the cave then came back minutes later with a large – for Merlin – brown shirt. By then Arthur was fully clothed and had already woken Merlin up, the younger sleepily pulling his trousers on too. "Here you go."

Merlin didn't so much catch the shirt as let it land on him and adjusted it so it was in his arms, then weakly pulled it over his head. The man didn't question the bandages or the fact that after Arthur sat them both back down, he drooped into Arthur's side and lightly closed his eyes.

Arthur watched as the man cooked and squeezed Merlin gently to him, one hand always on his sword and the other around Merlin, similarly to how he'd let Merlin rest in the dungeon. He had quietly murmured to Merlin to sit with him, not completely trusting of the man but starving and needing direction. Merlin seemed to be out of it, lost in his own world and thoughts.

Arthur knew he should try and snap Merlin out of it, but he didn't want to give away all their weaknesses at once to the stranger. For all he knew, Merlin could simply be recovering from his wounds still, and not near catatonic, so he handed the water skin over and when Merlin just held it in his hands blankly, Arthur popped off the top and helped him drink, before pretending to take a swig himself, more keen to leave it all for Merlin.

"Here." the man pulled the meat off the fire and used some bread as plates and passed it to Arthur.

When the man went and tapped Merlin on the leg to rouse him, several things happened. Merlin's frightened blues shot open and he kicked the unknown hand away and cried out, skittering closer to Arthur. The man leapt back and Arthur swung the sword out and aimed it carefully at his neck. They all froze as Merlin seemed to recognise what was going on, waking up out of his stupor and feeling regret erupt within him.

"No. I'm ok. Sorry. I just wasn't prepared." he mumbled, pulling at Arthur's arm and looking at the man warily.

Arthur kept his arm up, not even shifting it with Merlin's weak protests. There was a steely determination in his eye to ensure Merlin's protection. "You don't touch him. Do you understand?"

The man was wary for a moment then nodded, holding out the bread again with the meat. "Aye." As Merlin leant out to take the bread, Arthur slowly moved his arm lower until the sword was by his side again. He shifted Merlin closer still and kept his eyes on the man as he ate.

Despite the daggers Arthur was sending his way, the man looked quite undisturbed. He had long black wavy hair, streaked with grey and a rough beard peppered with it too. He chewed his bread slowly and contemplatively, and ate quite well for a man who lived in a cave. Arthur compared his manners to someone living in Court and then noticed for the first time, his leathers and fineries on his fingers.

The man was a noble.

"Where are you from?" Arthur asked, breaking the silence over the crackle of the fire.

He looked up and then back down to his food. "That cave."

"No... Before that. Your rings, your armour... Men in caves do not dress as you do." Arthur felt Merlin shaking his head next to him and start to tremble but ignored him, the seventeen year old more interested in what a noble was doing in a cave.

A small smirk blessed his mouth but it wasn't pleasant. "You're right boy. I am a noble. And these lands are mine and for them I am King. I own everything you see here and unless you want to be taxed, I'd shut up if I were you."

He jutted his lip out and the glare he got from Merlin, pleading for him to be silent was the only thing that shut him up. He carded a hand through his hair and then turned back to the man. "Can my friend and I stay another night?" he asked. "We'll leave in the morning. He just can't be moved now."

"I can..." Merlin said weakly.

It was Arthur's turn to hush Merlin and instead, he waited for the answer.

With a quick nod, the man replied, "Aye. You can leave when you wish. Who am I to reject kin child in need?"

Merlin tensed up under Arthur and Arthur outright frowned. "Kin child?"

"He must mean you." Merlin said thickly, sitting up and rubbing his throat. "He can probably tell you're noble too. Right?" Merlin looked at the man and Arthur couldn't see the look they shared as he was busy undoing the lid of the water skin to give it back to Merlin to drink.

"Aye..." the man said after a long moment in which Merlin sipped some water whilst praying the man wouldn't give away the fact they were both magical. Merlin had sensed something on the edge of his awareness emanating from him but only when he heard 'kin child' did he know what he was talking about. "I sensed your... _nobility_." Arthur accepted the answer reluctantly as Merlin had fallen back into his side and relaxed.

"If it's any consolation, I don't harm children or those too weak to defend themselves. Heal up and leave when you wish."

"Do you know where we are exactly?" Arthur went on to ask.

"Aye." He nodded and bit into his bread, swallowing before he replied. "The Mountains of Feorre."

"Essetir." Merlin mumbled then looked up at Arthur. "Ealdor is a day and a half walk from here."

"Shush." Arthur whispered, not wanting the man to know where they were going.

The man bristled. "Are you from Ealdor then?"

Arthur shook his head. "That's where we were heading before... Before we got captured. We had a friend there. We were visiting."

"Ah..." he said quietly, looking back into the fire. "I thought... Never mind."

Arthur finished his food and went to the stream and collected more water for Merlin and himself, leaving the sword with Merlin in case. He came back up and found Merlin staring at the man and studying his every move. "Does he always do that?" he asked, nodding his head to Merlin, who was in his own world again.

"He hasn't met anyone new in a long while." Arthur replied as a non-answer. Merlin's eyes were hollow of feeling as he watched the man twitch though he didn't seem to realise what he was going. Arthur hesitated then gently brushed his hand through Merlin's hair and forced his head on his shoulder so he was close enough that the stranger wouldn't hear Arthur when he spoke.

"Merlin." he murmured in his ear and it seemed to have the desired effect. Merlin came around and lifted his neck. He looked at Arthur, confused at having been out of his own head for so long.

"Aye." the man murmured, taking in the looks on both of them. Both were covered in an array of cuts and bruises and Merlin could barely sit up without having to lean against Arthur or the rock behind him. Arthur had a split brow and split lip and his left shoulder hung uselessly beside him, even as he let Merlin use it as a pillow. They looked like tortured slaves to the man, but he said nothing especially as the younger one wished to claim the elder was a noble.

"Well then... I am off to bed." the man said, standing. "Goodnight to both of you. Pleasant dreams and such."

"Goodnight." Merlin replied. Arthur merely watched him leave and didn't relax until he couldn't see the shadows of the cave move.

Quietly, Merlin turned to Arthur. "What are we going to do?" he asked. "How will we get back to...?"

Arthur cut him off with a sharp 'shush', watching the cave entry. He wasn't sure whether or not the man had gone in and wasn't listening so tried looking for a slightly human shape. He was more than pleased they hadn't exchanged names and wasn't planning on leaving Merlin's side anytime soon. "There is a town, not far from here... Engerd I think it is called." Merlin confirmed with a nod. "We'll go there. I'll leave you there for the night and ride all day home then send Leon or Kay back to retrieve you."

Merlin panicked. "What!? No. I can't leave you alone. I'll go with you."

"I'll stop too much. You're too injured to ride." Arthur ignored the fact Merlin was more upset with the fact Arthur would be left alone when the idea was causing him pain because Merlin would be left alone.

"I'll be fine. I swear. Just take me with you."

"It will be one night. Two at the most. Don't be such a girl, _Mer_lin." he grunted at Merlin hushed at that.

He pulled away from Arthur and his shoulder where Merlin's arm had pressed against turned cold. Guilt crept into Arthur as he remembered how he'd found him and shuddered. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know." Merlin said, curling his legs up in front of him.

He was hesitant dragging Merlin back to his side so instead pushed his shoulder against his again. He sighed and quietened his voice to a whisper, "What if I rode through the day and left you in Ealdor? With your mother and Will?"

Merlin turned grey and shook his head vigorously. "I don't… They can't… No. They can't see… No. I… Anyway, I'll be killed, remember?"

Arthur did. He sighed and closed his eyes, anxious at Merlin's reactions. "I..."

"Don't worry. I know Engerd. Not the nicest of towns, but nice enough. I've stayed there before. I'll survive a night or two." Merlin looked over his shoulder and smiled.

Beaming, Arthur said. "It won't be that bad. You'll see. I'll even get you a room with a proper bed. Think about it. Your first night spent in Essetir sleeping in a bed."

Merlin chuckled and leant back on his blankets, away from Arthur to rest. "What strange times we live in." The familiar joking calmed Arthur. Things would be okay. They would get better. They would be fine.

But then the small chuckle Merlin let pass through his lips turned into a full-blown sob. Arthur recoiled on instinct, never one to get too involved with emotions, but felt guilty and moved closer to Merlin once again. He rested a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. "I'm sorry. Merlin, I'm sorry." he mumbled and closed his eyes tight. "Please tell me what to do to make you stop crying. Please?" Arthur felt like he was begging for them to stop the torture again.

"I-I-I can't!" he looked up at Arthur. "Can't... Stop... Crying..." He was gasping for breath now and Arthur quickly pulled him up so he was crouching and shoved his head down between his knees.

He sobbed again, his whole body shaking but his breath had returned. Snot and tears wrapped around his face and lips. "It hurts!" he cried. "I hurt. Everywhere!" he shouted and Arthur didn't know what else to do but rub soothing circles on the top of Merlin's neck, still careful of the scars. He was flustered and way out of his depth. His father usually shooed him out of the room when the tortured knights actually lost it.

He'd seen the emptiness in their eyes, the mild attacks but this... Merlin was shaking his head so hard Arthur thought it would come off. "I don't to do this ... I don't want to..." he couldn't finish that sentence. "Why couldn't they just kill me instead?"

Arthur gulped, fear swelling at the thought Merlin wanted to die. "It'll get better." Arthur whispered. His arm slid up and down Merlin's shoulder to console him but Merlin reached his opposite arm up and stopped him.

"Bruises." he mumbled.

"Sorry." he said sincerely. Arthur shuffled closer until they were shoulder to shoulder once more. "I'll do anything Merlin. Just say it."

Merlin shook his head wiped his eyes, though the tears kept rolling. "I'm tired." he admitted. Arthur nodded and helped Merlin down to lie on the bedroll then sat above him. He was unsure of what to do so sat behind Merlin and held his shoulder with one hand. Once his breathing became less ragged and only silent tears escaped his eyes, Arthur slid away.

Needing to rest himself, he pulled his blanket over and laid down beside Merlin, next to the fire. Merlin looked a bit confused but then Arthur shot a worried look to the cave. "Humour me."

Merlin sighed but wouldn't admit he felt better with Arthur by his side and neither would the Prince. He laid down on his stomach, his back paining him with every movement. It was then he noticed how Arthur moved his left arm with strain as he tried to adjust the blanket. "What happened to it?" he asked, his voice still rasped with tears.

"Nothing." he replied hastily, but Merlin was already holding his arm and bending it, watching for every hiss. "You've broken your shoulder, you dollop head. Why didn't you say that?"

"Broken? Nah. Feels like a minor sprain."

Merlin pushed on Arthur shoulder lightly and gained a cry of pain. "Broken." he said stubbornly, then wiped the remaining tears away. After rummaging through the rest of the satchel, Merlin found some leftover bandages. He made Arthur take his shirt off then took some sticks with shaking fingers and bound his arm at a right angle. He put his shirt back on then bound his arm across his body and sat him up to make a sling.

"There. That will hopefully hold until Gaius can tend to it." Merlin said quietly then rested once more on his stomach.

Arthur rolled his eyes then pulled Merlin up so he was using his right side as a pillow. "Stay there." he ordered. "If you move, then I'll know you're in trouble."

"Are you sure I haven't just replaced your childhood toy?" Merlin teased, but his voice was lacking conviction.

"Tell anyone and I'll kill you myself." Arthur's voice also lacked the humour, just going through the motions. Neither one wanted to say that they needed the other around after almost a month spent being in separate dungeons, being put through different forms of torture.

They fell asleep quickly, still exhausted from their ordeal. Every time a nightmare made Merlin whimper, Arthur's arm tightened around him and he stopped. Like wise, every time Arthur shifted, Merlin curled his hands around Arthur shirt tighter and nudged his head deeper into his stomach and Arthur found himself breathing easier. It was an unconscious effort on both their parts and the man in the cave watched, wondering how two people could be so in sync with another.

* * *

Morgana sat curled up on her bed, staring out the window to the sky. From her position, propped up on the pillows, she could quite clearly see her star with Merlin. Gwen was lighting candles for her while Kay stood guard at the door, positioned there by Uther until the threat of Morgause was cleared.

She glanced back at the knight who was supposed to be outside her room, but had been let in after Morgana couldn't stand him standing out in the cold any longer. She turned back to the stars and saw Merlin "Is there anything else you need, Morgana?" Gwen asked, once all the candles were lit.

"No thank you, Gwen. You should go home." Morgana pulled her eyes away from the star filled sky to smile at her handmaiden.

"I still have to collect your dinner." Gwen said.

Morgana shook her head, holding her hand out. "Really, I'm not hungry. Unless, Kay?" she asked, turning her head to the knight. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm fine." Kay nodded once in thanks.

"Just go home, Gwen." Morgana smiled. "I'll be fine."

"Alright, milady." Gwen collected her cloak and things and went to the door. "Are you sure you-"

"Go, Gwen." Morgana pointed to the door and the younger girl blushed.

"Alright then. Goodnight." She looked up at Kay and nodded her head. "Goodnight Sir Kay."

"Goodnight, Gwen." Kay opened the door for her and let her out, closing it behind her. Kay watched Morgana for a little while longer, the King's ward, turning her attentions straight back to the stars as soon as Gwen was gone. He sighed and said, "I'll stand outside the door…"

"Don't go." Morgana said, snapping her head to Kay. Her hand tightened around the bracelet Morgause got her and she fidgeted uncomfortably. "I don't want to be alone."

The Knight nodded slowly then shifted back to guarding the door. They sat and stood like that for a long while, in silence, taking in the others presence but not engaging with it. Kay knew that it was the right thing to do, reporting in Morgause for lying to the King, but as soon as he heard Gaius mention she was a sorceress to Uther, he couldn't help the pang of regret.

He didn't agree with dark magic, but Morgause seemed to be helping Morgana and – though the King refused to allow anyone tell Morgana of the truth – maybe she had simply wanted to help her sister. But there was still the fact he felt something more sinister about her and the fact he hadn't felt her magic at all, worried him. He hadn't even had an inkling about the fact she was a High Priestess, which meant she was even more powerful than the average person with a latent talent.

_She disguised her magic… but how?_

"There's something that… that I should tell the King." Kay frowned and looked up to where Morgana still stared at the stars, her eyes glazed over with tears and her look far off. "Something about… about Morgause."

Kay started forward slowly. "What is it?"

Morgana still fidgeted with the bracelet, a new nervous habit and bit her lip. "I… I don't want him to kill me."

He bit his lip and then walked over to the bed and, after a moment's hesitation, sat down on the end. "Morgana, I have known you since birth." Kay took one of her hands in his and stared at her until she drew her eyes away from the sky and looked back with tears pooling in her eyes. "Tell me and then, if I think it's important, I'll tell the King. You know I'd do nothing that would see you hurt."

Morgana smiled sadly, "You wouldn't see anyone hurt, Kay." He just smiled back and waited. She cleared her throat and looked down at the bracelet. "Morgause gave me this. It keeps the bad dreams away and… and it works. She laced it with magic, I think but…" Morgana looked up at him, her bottom lip trembling. "I don't want to go back to having nightmares, but if Uther finds out I'm using magic… You saw what happened to Morgause. I don't think she was trying to hurt Arthur, I think she just saw it as a distraction to help me. Kay, she helped me with my dreams."

Kay bit his lip and looked down at the bracelet. Not that he wasn't certain it was the same one the Lady Vivienne had used before, but he now had proof. "Did I ever tell you that I have this… gift? For finding magic?"

Morgana frowned. "What? No… I…"

"I can sense magic. Sense it on people, in spells… that sort of thing." Kay reached out and slid the bracelet from Morgana's wrist and held it in his hands to inspect it. He twisted it around and focused on it.

There was a strong throb of magic, running through the bracelet like a pulse. He studied it carefully, making a great show of it and even glancing up at Morgana a few times as she waited on baited breath for the conclusion. "Nothing." he threw it back to her suddenly and she scrambled to catching. "Not a hint of magic. Morgause lied to you, my dear _but_, in saying that, I wouldn't take it off."

"Why not?" she asked.

He nodded to the stone jewel in the bracelet. "Natural healing properties. You've seen Gaius lay rocks over the ill before. It's not magic, it's science. I'm assuming that's what is stopping your dreams."

Morgana looked down at the glistening gem and back up at Kay. "The… the stone? You think it's stone healing?"

"Yep. You've been taking Gaius's potions every night too, correct?" When Morgana nodded excitedly he grinned. "See? Stone healing plus your tonics… I really do believe you're just benefiting from the wonders of modern medicine."*

She bit her lip, looking sceptical then back up at Kay. "And you're sure of this?"

Kay gently took the bracelet from her hands and put it back on her wrist. "Certain. I may not completely understand why Morgause was here in the first place, Morgana but I do know this. She seemed to care about you and I don't think she intended you harm. Keep that on. Keep your nightmares away. If it makes you happier, I see no reason to tell the King and ruin that."

"But why me?" Morgana whispered. "Why did she come all this way to help me?"

With a small shrug, Kay lied. "I have no idea."

* * *

They woke to galloping. Arthur, having slept lightly, bolted up, knocking Merlin off him. Merlin yelped then looked wildly around, seeing the sun above them properly for the first time in a long while and squinting and the harsh white colours. The horse's hooves gained speed and Arthur jumped up, sword in hand, and ran out to see.

The familiar colours of Odin's black wolf flag flew high overhead and Arthur cursed the gathered their things and Merlin, hauling him up. "Arthur?" Merlin cried out. "What's going on?"

"They followed us. We need to run."

The man from the night before came out of his cave just as Arthur was stomping out the last of the fire. "What's that noise?" he demanded.

"Odin's men." Arthur growled. "They're here for us."

"Odin? In Essetir." the man watched as Arthur hauled Merlin towards the horse who was thankfully still tied there and had grazed around itself. "What kind of fugitives are you to have Odin's men risk crossing borders into a land they are banished from on pain of death?"

"Not fugitives. Prisoners." Arthur snapped.

Before he could get Merlin on the horse, five men broke into the clearing and Arthur pushed Merlin behind him and pulled out the sword, wishing he hadn't let his manservant bind his arm the night before. They circled them, trapping them in the centre and Arthur stood his ground in front of Merlin. Amongst the men, he recognised one as Gregor and Merlin seemed to recognise another as he spoke. "Well, well." said a wiry but strong looking man with a thin moustache. "Merlin, my boy you are looking much better. Look what a couple of nights rest and sun can do to a man."

"Hugo." Merlin whispered under his breath and shuddered. He momentarily pressed his head into Arthur's back but regained himself, standing up straight, but swaying on his feet nonetheless. Arthur growled and wanted to demand just how many men hurt Merlin.

"You boys have given our king quite a scare. He's worried sick about you. Clutched his bosom and cried he did." Hugo mocked.

"Stay back." Arthur hissed.

"Or what are you going to do, Princeling?" Gregor laughed. "Kill us?"

"I should have done it when I had the chance." Arthur growled, regretting not using the dagger to slash his throat.

"Now that you have your sword, why don't you try to do your worst, hey?" Gregor offered.

Before Arthur could speak, he heard someone shout in a different language and all five guards flew off their horses. He looked and saw the man had his hand outstretched and was attacking. He strung each of them up with magical ropes and slammed them to the ground. "What would the great King Odin want with two boys? Children. Not men."

"You… Think…" Gregor laughed, choking through his constraints that invisibly clung to him like a noose. "He's the Prince of Camelot, you fool. Not a mere child."

The man looked up at Arthur and Merlin then back at Gregor. "A child is a child, no matter his birth. And I have seen what you have done to the other one… That is wrong." With another spell, all their necks snapped.

Arthur watched and carefully pulled up his sword as the man stepped closer. He put his hands up to show him unarmed then pointed behind Arthur. "Your friend. Merlin? He is shaking."

Arthur turned and looked over his shoulder to see Merlin was indeed trembling in fright. He quickly dropped his sword and grabbed Merlin's chin to force him to look at him. "It's over. They are dead. They can't hurt you if they're dead." he said quickly. Merlin shifted and stumbled but Arthur was there to catch him and bring him back up to his feet and once again moved Merlin's chin so he could focus on Arthur and no one else. "You trust me, right?"

Weakly, Merlin nodded. When his panic was over, Merlin pushed himself up right and breathed. "I am fine."

Arthur sighed withe relief and looked at the man, swallowing stiffly. "Thank you."

Before the man could say anything, Merlin spotted something on one of the men. "My dagger!" he cried out. He rushed forward and Arthur missed him as he shoved passed and fell at Gregor's side, more than sat, and pulled his dragon dagger from the man's belt with its silver sheath.

The man watched curiously then his face lit up as he saw what Merlin was holding. Arthur saw the attack in the man's eyes before Merlin stood, and went to lunge forward but was too late.

The man had Merlin up by his throat, fingers clenched tightly and up against a tree. Arthur tried to hit him, but with a flick of his hands and a muttered spell, Arthur was dangling mid-air, trying to escape magical bounds. "Where did you get that dagger from?" he demanded.

Merlin struggled and cried, and all Arthur could hear was the wild animal he'd thought he was in the dungeons. "Where boy?" he shouted.

"Let him go!" Arthur shouted.

"Not until he tells me where he got this from!" the man hissed. Merlin cried out, kicking feverishly as air left his body and looking into Arthur's eyes pleadingly.

"Can't you see he's scared!" Arthur cried.

"Tell me where you got this from!"

Then it all clicked in Arthur's head. "It's his fathers! His mother gave it to him and it was his fathers!" Arthur shouted, kicking his feet out wildly. "He is from Ealdor. Your name. You are Balinor!" Arthur put it all together quickly, the last piece of the puzzle sliding into place. The interest in Ealdor, the noble upbringing, recognising the dagger…

The man was Lord Balinor Ambrosius, Dragonlord and Court Dragon Master and his supposed godfather, had Uther not turned his back to magic. He was his cousin through generations of blood when Amelia Ambrosius married King Elias Pendragon, the one who had been betrayed.

Balinor turned his head to face Arthur then looked back to Merlin. He seemed to see him for the first time and dropped him as though he burned. Merlin gasped at the same time that Arthur dropped to the earth. He was winded but pulled in a large gasping breath and took off from the ground to stand and run at Merlin. He picked him up with his good arm and dragged them both back to the horse, shoving him up onto the horse as fast as he could.

Balinor was staring at the place he had pinned Merlin in disbelief but Arthur refused to wait for him to come to his senses. He couldn't let anymore harm come to Merlin, especially at this man's hands.

He jumped on the horse behind Merlin and clicked his heels together, forcing the steed to ride on and leaving the man who was undoubtedly Merlin's father far behind.

* * *

Odin's men who remained in the Kingdom were beheaded come dawn. Uther batted no eye as he sent the heads in potato sacks across the lands to Odin's castle with a letter that demanded Arthur's return or war.

He had already called back his men from the northern borders where ongoing raids from Bayard and Caerleon's men were making living for the villages along the borders difficult and his heart didn't skip a beat when his advisors told him they would lose land when Bayard and Caerleon's armies took hold of said villages.

In all honesty, the King didn't care.

Not while his son's breath and life were somewhere else, under threat. Not while Odin tried to make a fool of him and his men.

Uther clenched his fist over the arm of his throne, and glared out across the council as they objected and tried to argue with him on his latest decisions. He had heard it before in the past fortnight, the chances of Arthur being alive were slim but even if his son was… – Uther shuddered to think that he was _dead_ – he wanted to have him back, say a proper farewell, avenge his death.

_A son for a son, _he heard people whisper as news of Odin's involvement spread out across the land.

But Uther knew it was different. Luka had died an honourable death, in a duel followed by the knight code.

He could only imagine the mangled form his son, the last piece he had of Igraine, would be in and gripped his sword in thought. _Luka challenged Arthur… He was two summers older than my boy and he challenged Arthur… It was not an unfair challenge. Odin should have respected the laws of combat!_

_Just like you respected the laws of magic… _A cruel voice hissed through his ear.

The King flinched and gritted his teeth together, the voice sounding horribly like _him_. _Balinor…_ Uther turned out to view the blue sky of the noon, annoyingly happy despite the inner turmoil the king felt.

"Sire, reconsider…" yet again, someone else was sent through the council to plead with him.

"Enough!" Uther snapped, standing up out of his seat and glaring at the men. "My son has been missing for more than three weeks. Nothing but his ring, a bag and a scrap of material is left of him. I sent Odin his son's body back in a funeral barge fit for a king. I respected the laws of the land and the station the Prince of the South deserved. He has forfeited all rights to peace by breaking _every_ law of nobility and kidnapping my son!" The King's of Camelot's voice boomed out through the entire room and hit the walls, bouncing back to repeat what he said in an endless echo. "He is my son. He did nothing wrong. And I will have Odin suffer."

The Council all shuddered, unwilling to agitate the King any longer so backed away and finally left Uther in peace.

_Arthur, my boy. I will avenge you,_ he thought to himself, clenching and unclenching his jaw as the seconds went by to hear Odin's reply.

* * *

In Engerd, Arthur paid for a room at the tavern for two nights with the money he'd found at the bottom of the bag Merlin stole. He promised the innkeeper more upon leaving if he didn't near the rooms and then settled Merlin into the bed after carrying him up the stairs. New bruises had formed around his neck in a harsh purple colour. But he tried to smile and seem fine to keep Merlin alert and stop him from falling back into his fears.

His manservant was drifting between worlds of lucidity and perfect calm and then terror with no control. Sometimes he had his old friend back and other times it was a mix of wounded animal and man. At one horrifying point, Merlin had looked around dazed then spotted Arthur and asked, "Am I dreaming again?"

Arthur had just lightly shaken his head and waited as Merlin blearily remembered the events that had passed as he looked around the view from the horse in wonder.

In the present, he rested Merlin down on the bed and waited for the current bleary look to fall off his friend's features. "Are you with me?" Arthur asked, tapping his cheek gently. The cot was barely large enough to fit Merlin and there was no stool to sit on so he made do with kneeling beside the cot, chin resting on the mattress.

Merlin nodded slowly and gently pushed Arthur's hand away from his cheek, but wrapped his fingers around Arthur's wrist again, like in the dungeon. "Sorry. I think I scared you earlier."

Arthur let out a shaky laugh. "I don't scare easy." he lied.

"When I asked if you were a dream… I thought… When he strangled me that maybe I was still in the dungeons and…" Merlin cut himself off and Arthur quickly moved his wrist out of Merlin's grip and took his hand with his strapped one and held it firm.

"I'm sorry." he said, looking down at the sheets on the bed.

With a small frown on his face, Merlin asked, "Why?"

Arthur swallowed thickly. "I told you I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

Quietly, Merlin laughed and Arthur looked up at the sound. "You didn't. You didn't let any of it happen. It was beyond your control. Believe me. I don't blame you. Not for any of it."

_But you should, _Arthur thought sadly. His mind flashed back to two morning's after his sixteenth birthday, when he had let Merlin help sneak the little girl who was about to get executed out of Camelot.

_"I'm a prince. A prince with a sword. A sword I put up to your throat. I could turn around and behead you at any given moment for what you've done. Why do you think I wouldn't? Tell me why I shouldn't? Why did I save you the other day? We both know that dagger wasn't coming for me. Whether he misfired or you offended the man somehow, you were going to die but I saved you after I forgave you and covered for you for breaking the law! Why would I do all of that for you?"_

_"Because I'm your best friend and you don't have another one." Merlin said easily._

Morgana was his step-sister, Kay and Leon were his fellow knights and brothers-in-arms and Elyan and Gwen had always been friends of friends, people who would tag along were more loyal to others. Merlin was loyal to him and often stared up at him with a trust in his eyes that couldn't be fathomed.

Merlin was his. His best and only friend. The only person he could rely on to always be there for him and always do the right thing. And he had let this happen to him?

Merlin's blue stormy eyes turned a little glassy and he blinked back the daze. "How did you know? How did you know who he was?"

Arthur bit his lip and wondered if he should tell him the truth. Wondered if Merlin's already broken psyche could take any more burdens. To know the man who had strangled him was his father, a fugitive and a magic user. "I… I've heard stories. An ex-noblemen, banished… I knew he lived around here… It was a guess."

He seemed to accept this for a second but he was too smart for his own damn good. "Why did he want my dagger?" he asked quietly, sounding more like a child than Arthur had ever heard. He hadn't stopped clutching it since he found it on Gregor. No amount of Arthur's prying and insistence he would hurt himself could get it away from him and imprints were left in his palm from the decorated hilt.

"I don't know." he lied, pushing Merlin's hair back from his face.

Merlin pushed himself up and started his hand around his neck. "Your ring…" he started, fumbling with the leather tie.

"Keep it." Arthur said. "Until we're in Camelot again." Arthur's fingers came down his cheek, inspecting a scar that looked infected and finally lightly tracing the new bruises on his neck. Merlin winced and Arthur withdrew his hand, a pained expression filled with guilt on his face. "Will you be alright? Here? On your own?"

Merlin nodded quietly and curled back up on the bed. "I can still come with you."

"I'm quicker on my own." he said sadly, then pointed to the bedside where at least ten candles and a taper laid. "You won't run out of light." he whispered and Merlin felt grateful that, without even voicing his fears, Arthur knew them. "It should keep you for a few days, though I won't be that long.

"My father most probably won't let me ride back for you, but like I said, I'll send Leon or Kay. So when they come, don't fight them and do not try to run. Please remember they are just trying to help you. Promise me, Merlin."

Merlin winced. "But… But Roland said that… that they were all… That…" he trailed off and looked away and it was then that Arthur remembered how the head of their original kidnappers had proclaimed the knights of Camelot who had been hunting with them were dead. He felt his stomach turn and how stupid and selfish he had been to forget such a fact.

For his men, he said a small prayer and held it together to not cry as in his minds eye he saw Kay and Leon and Pellinore and him, rushing through the Darkling Forest together playing chasing games and hide-and-seek and catching fish in the shallow streams. "I'll… I'll send Walden then. Or Frenwyn. I'll send someone you trust, I swear. Just promise me you'll go with them calmly."

Merlin nodded and smiled. "Promise."

"And do not leave this room. Not for anything. Promise me that too."

"I'm not a complete idiot, Arthur." Merlin argued but when Arthur gave him a pointed look he sighed. "Fine. I promise."

Even with those words, Arthur hesitated to leave. He just wanted to stay with Merlin, sword out and locked in the room, protecting them both from all the horrors that laid outside the door.

But he couldn't. He had to leave. He was still a Prince, he still had duties and one of them was to get Merlin home, safe.

So he slowly stood up and paused only when Merlin's hand was still in his. "Good…" he had no idea what he wanted to say. Goodbye, wasn't an option. It seemed to final. But he had to say something didn't he? "Good." he said finally, more to Merlin's promise.

He reasoned the quicker he got to Camelot the quicker they would both be safe. So he slackened his grip on Merlin's hand and Merlin did the same. He stepped away from the bed nervously, then jumped back and ran without looking back.

Arthur ran to the horse, bolting as fast as he could. He got to the horse they stole from Odin and flicked the reigns to make it go and go faster. In the back of his mind he could hear Merlin screaming in the dungeon. He could feel him curled up against his chest, breathing shakily. He could see his tears as he cleaned his back and taste the coppery scent of blood on his tongue from the dungeons.

All these images urged Arthur on, through the forests at a speed too fast for bandits to conceive. It took him the day and some of the night to speed across Essetir, into Camelot and make it to the castle he had not seen for a little under a month. The guards who spotted him fly past yelled in surprise and Arthur could already hear screams announcing his return before he got to the gates. He made his way up through the lower town and briefly glimpsed Gwen, rushing from her home to see him go passed and chasing him up to the castle.

He made it to the courtyard and Leon ran out of the castle, just as the bells started tolling. He dismounted the horse and went to Leon who grabbed him by the shoulders. "Arthur!" he exclaimed. "It's really you!"

Arthur nodded, breathlessly as his steed bowed and sat down to rest. "I need you to go… Go to Engerd in Essetir. There is a tavern. Merlin is staying in the lodgings."

"But-"

"Go Leon!" Arthur shouted, clutching his shoulders. "That is an order. He is injured and scared and I told him you would find him. I promised him you would find him. You don't sleep until you bring him back, that is an order!" he slid the keys to the lodgings into his hand and fell to the ground, weak in his knees. "Go!"

Leon stepped back then turned on his heel and towards the stables. He bowed his head and rubbed his tired features, smiling only when he heard the hooves of Leon's horse rushing passed him.

He looked up just in time to see Uther rushing down the stairs. "Arthur! My boy!" Uther pulled Arthur to his feet and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into an embrace. Arthur wasn't sure when he felt Uther hug him last, but he sunk into his fathers arms and clung back as hard as he could.

For the first time since escaping, the events of the last month rushed up to him as well as the thoughts of Merlin and the tortures he had to endure. A part of his mind gently said, you can break down now, and Arthur felt his eyes watering as he obeyed the command of the small voice in his head. Uther held him tighter as Arthur started sobbing and he glimpsed Morgana, Gaius, Kay and guards behind his father.

Not caring about his pride for once in his life, Arthur cried and held onto Uther and pleaded for his father to take the pain. Uther quickly pulled Arthur into the castle and the next thing he knew he was being lowered into his bed and he curled up and continued to sob like a pathetic child as Uther ran his hand through his hair. "Rest Arthur. You are home. All is well. You are home now."

Arthur curled around Uther's arm and fell asleep to his own tears, not even noticing when Gaius started treating him.

* * *

As soon as Kay saw Arthur without Merlin and Leon rushing off, he knew where his fellow knight was going and realised what must have happened. He rushed to the stables himself, grabbed the first horse he could find that was both fast and saddled up, and mounted it, riding out to follow Leon.

He didn't care about orders or even his knight's honour and half thought the worse, that maybe Merlin was still stuck in Odin's hideout, wherever it had been.

When he finally caught up with Leon, the curly haired knight looked and blinked then answered the unspoken question. "He's in Engerd. It's a days ride from here."

Kay nodded and the two rode mostly in silence, only taking small breaks for watering their horses or stopping to walk them when they grew tired.

Leaving well before midnight, they made it to Engerd by early evening the next night and Kay left Leon the horses and went inside with the key. He looked to the barkeep then walked over, a bag of gold in hand just in case. "I'm looking for a room with a young boy in it." he said, leaning over the table. "He was brought in a few days ago by a blonde."

The keep nodded to the staircase. "Room three. If you're here to collect him, I was told another bag of coins upon leaving if I didn't bother the kid. No matter how much he cried and screamed, no one went up there…" The rest of the sentence was ignored as Kay took to the stairs two at a time, Leon just behind him having come inside, and found the door with the crudely etched tally to represent the number three.

He slid the key into the latch and reason he could have easily opened it without the iron cast object, but the click and slide was probably more comforting to Merlin that Kay's alternative method of breaking the lock.

The door swung open and Kay entered first, Leon quietly coming in behind him. The room appeared empty and they both shared a quiet wary glance before inspecting it further. There were two beds, both sparse and a curtain made from an old yellowing bed sheet on the furthest side of the room. "Merlin." Leon called out tentatively. Neither of them knew what sort of shape the boy was in, but if Arthur left him behind to get back to Camelot faster, it most likely wasn't good.

"Merlin." Kay repeated, more gently. "It's us. It's Kay and Leon."

The curtain shifted slightly and they both looked to each other before approaching the curtain, hands on their hilts just in case it was more ominous than just Merlin. "Leon?" Merlin murmured, shifting back the curtains. They both looked down to see the young boy huddled up in a ball against the wall, his hands trembling. "Kay?" His bottom lip quavered as he blinked and looked at both of them. In his hands was his dragon dagger, the head of the silver beast biting into his skin. "They… they said you were dead."

"No. Not dead, Merlin." Leon leant down to help him up, but Merlin shuffled away. Leon put his hands up in surrender then said, "We're not going to hurt you."

The boy nodded slowly and murmured, "Arthur said he'd send you. He said to go with you calmly." He shifted and stood up by himself but staggered. Kay reached out and caught him and Merlin gripped onto his arm to keep himself steady. "I'm fine." he mumbled.

"The hell you are." Kay growled, catching sight of lashings underneath Merlin's shirt. He was mottled with bruises and cuts and he suspected it wasn't even the worse of them. He saw that they'd all been cleaned and Merlin must have been given a good wash because he didn't look like he had been a prisoner for almost four weeks, apart from the haunted expression in his eyes.

There was a bloody bandage laying behind Merlin's hiding spot and when Merlin noticed Kay glaring at it, he whispered hoarsely, "I was just trying to change it, but I couldn't managed my shirt off. Only pulling at the bandages…"

"Do you want me to do it?" he asked as gently as he could, even though every action he took was now drenched in fury. Leon glanced up at him, wary of the hard edge in Kay's eye, but said nothing of it when Merlin conceded with a small nod.

Kay helped him over to the bed and sat him down then took him out of his shirt and clenched his teeth at the sheer amount of damage. He could see swelling and bruising where he had been kicked and punched and something that very clearly looked like a carving of a name. As he picked up new bandages from the pile by the bedside, he read _Roland_ and committed the name to memory before binding Merlin up.

Merlin seemed to fall off into his own world and Leon could only stare in concern, having nothing to occupy himself with. "The horses are resting for now." Leon said quietly. "We'll leave at first light."

As Kay finished up the bandages, his whole body felt rigged with anger. He reached out and touched Merlin's shoulder, but he flinched and yanked away. The bandages he'd made allowance for, but he wasn't tolerating anything else. "Merlin," Kay had felt his breakable body while he was bandaging him up, the broke ribs, the tender waist and worst, how slim he'd become. "When was the last time you ate?"

Merlin shrugged and said, "The man in the forest… gave us bread and meat… and Arthur made me eat the apple."

"When was that?"

He frowned, unable to make a clear timeline in his head. "This morning? Arthur left this morning…"

"Yesterday morning."

Kay looked up at Leon and said quietly, "Go get him some food." He was about to throw the bag of gold at him but Leon shrugged and indicated to his own pouch. When he was gone, Kay looked back at Merlin and said, "Arthur must have left the morning before last because he only got to Camelot last night."

Merlin closed his eyes and bent forward. "Time isn't moving straight." he mumbled and Kay went to put a hand on his back but then thought better of it.

"It will. It will be okay again. We just need to get you to Camelot." They sat in an awkward silence for a moment, then Kay asked quietly. "Merlin, are there any other injuries we should know about. Anything Arthur couldn't have cleaned or wouldn't see?"

Merlin didn't reply and they sat in silence again, Merlin not willing to talk and Kay not willing to push him, until Leon came up with food enough for three large men and a jug of water. He glanced at Kay and indicated he should eat too, but Kay just shook his head. "I'll be back… there's something I need to do."

Leon nodded and simply thought Kay needed some fresh air to get his head around it. It had certainly helped the slightly older knight to get out of the room, but that had nothing to do with why Kay wanted to leave.

He briefly watched Leon get Merlin to take some of the food, though he didn't eat and Kay had a sneaking suspicion only Arthur would get him to. Kay took off and went down through the tavern and outside. The village was fairly large, a common trade route through to Camelot and it took him longer than he wanted to get out of it and deep into the forest where no one could find him.

"Nimueh!" he shouted out, looking up and around. "I know you're out there. I know you're feeling around for me. You felt my distress and I can feel you too." He added, eyes searching every part of the forest, waiting for a response. "Come on. I know you want my forgiveness. I know you want redemption." He spun around, glaring up at the night sky. "I'll give it to you. I can give it to you."

"But only if I do something for you first." he spun around and his jaw tightened at the sight of the Sorceress who had stolen his father away from him. "Am I correct?"

"Of course you are." he sneered. He glared at Nimueh, his eyes hard but none of the anger was directed at her and she could sense that. "King Odin. Do you have any alliance with him?"

"Sometimes… if I can be bothered by it." Nimueh's eyebrow shot up. "Why?"

"Why do you think?" Kay snapped.

Nimueh blinked and then her face widened from it's scrunched up confusion into understanding. "He kidnapped Arthur… interesting. I knew he was plotting some sort of revenge but…"

"Revenge he took out on Merlin." Kay snapped. "Gods only know what he did to Arthur, but it will only make this request easier." When Nimueh kept silent and indicated he should go on, Kay said, "I want you to cast the blackest magic you can over him. I want him to suffer, every day for the rest of his life and watch his castle destroyed."

Nimueh narrowed her eyes. "All for a servant?"

Kay didn't even want to guess how Nimueh knew his intentions. He didn't care. "He's more than a servant."

"If you're alluding to the fact he is Emrys again…"

"I'm not." Kay cut her off. "He's a friend. That's all you need to know."

She stared at him and disappeared from his sights, only to reappear behind him a moment later and twisted her head to the side. "And this will absolve me of my sins?"

He spun around and drew his sword for protection. He held it in the gap between them, to keep the distance steady. "It's a start."

"You wish me to use dark magic, something you yourself are against and your father, both grandfather's, biological and otherwise, abhor?"

Kay smirked, "Well I'm not using it, am I?"

"It will come at a price." she added. "Something light must be given up for something dark."

"I paid my price. Is my father not enough?"

"Magic will not see it like that."

She slid a dagger out from her belt and held it out, hilt first, to Kay. "I will take the penalty, but you must do something for me first."

Kay glanced at the dagger and then back up at Nimueh. "What?"

"Take this dagger. Keep it on your belt but do give it up until you must and never let it touch blood by your own hand."

He glanced at the thing and felt out, but there was no magic on he could feel and there was no enchantment set on it. "I don't understand."

Nimueh glanced at it, the red ornamental rubies glittering in the evening light. Silver held the rubies in place and connected it to the long thin knife. It wasn't something she could understand, the dagger something she saw in a stall in Ierne. It was familiar, she had seen it in a dream before and could remember a slender pale hand twisting it around in its grip and being gripped by a different hand. She could remember the struggle, but she had no idea how it panned out.

It wasn't Kay's hand, his tanned and too thick, but there was a part of her that knew the dagger needed to be passed out through Kay's hand and that he would know. So she had bought the dagger, but only now found herself trusting him with it. "Neither do I." she murmured, unsure of which side she was helping with her actions. "All I know is this must be in your possession until you think it shouldn't be. You will know more than I do… That is all I understand."

"Seers." Kay muttered, but snatched the dagger from Nimueh and slid it into his own belt. "I'll do as you ask. Now you sort out Odin."

Nimueh nodded, still unsure about Kay's real motives behind punishing the King of the South. "Yes. I shall." And with that she disappeared.

* * *

In the daylight, Arthur opened his eyes to Gaius tending to him. The old man hadn't known he was awake until Arthur spoke. "He's alive."

Gaius looked startled then down at Arthur. "Merlin?" he assumed.

Arthur nodded. "I couldn't bring him back quick enough. So I put him in lodgings. Sent Leon after him as soon as I got home. He should be home by tomorrow night."

Relief flooded the old man's face and he actually wiped tears from his eyes. "Thank the heavens." he said.

Arthur flinched. "He's not… He's not the same. From what I know… They did horrible things to him, Gaius. I cleaned the lashes as best I could but the rest… And his mind. He's there sometimes but then he's not."

Gaius tried to smile but it was too forced. "It's alright, my boy. He will heal. I will make sure of it."

Arthur nodded and closed his eyes briefly. When he reopened them, Gaius was still there and he murmured, "Who died?" The physician looked momentarily confused. "The men who took us… they said they killed some of my men. Leon is still here…"

"Sirs Samuel, Ramone and… and Sir Pellinore."

"Oh." Arthur winced at the thought his men had died because of him. People had died for him and Merlin had been tortured and destroyed for him. He turned his head to the physician and sniffed back more tears. "Sometimes… I don't want to be a Prince."

Gaius looked sad but that was all Arthur could discern as he sat on Arthur's bedside and looked around cautiously. Then, like when he was a child, the physician sat Arthur up on his side rubbed small circles on his back. Unconsciously. Arthur titled his head until he was curled up around Gaius's lap. "It will all be fine, Arthur." he assured him. "When Merlin comes back, you'll see. I'll make sure both you and he get better, like I always have done."

Gaius gave him some water, laced with sleeping potion and again, he was out but not before thinking, _I'll make sure too_, and curling up further on the physician's lap.

* * *

Merlin rode with Leon, his horse able to bend and stand instead of forcing Merlin to climb up or assisting him. Kay wasn't put off by this, his thoughts firmly wrapped up by Nimueh, Odin, the dagger and the injuries Merlin had and the fact that since he'd asked him about the extent of said injuries, Merlin had stayed impassively silent.

They rode through the day, taking a few more stops than they had on the way to Engerd for Merlin to drink and rest, even though he seemed to refuse sleep, his eyes concentrated on something unseen in the distance.

When they got to Camelot by nightfall, Merlin came off the horse that kneeled down for him and was led to Gaius's chambers, refusing all assistance by twisting his shoulders around until Leon and Kay stopped touching him. Leon went off to tend to the horses when Kay nodded that he could handle it, then guided Merlin away by simply herding him.

When Kay opened the door to the physician's chambers, he saw Morgana's stunned face, the young ward about to open the door to leave, holding a bottle of tonic. Behind her was Gwen, her mouth hanging open in shock, just staring at him. "Merlin?" Morgana breathed.

Merlin stared at her, semi-shocked, then threw himself forward just as Morgana did the same. The two embraced fiercely, Morgana tucking her head in his shoulder and him burying his head in her hair. "You came back to me." she breathed. "You came back to me."

He smiled a little and closed his eyes, not saying a word or showing an inch of discomfort when she squeezed his cracked ribs. "Merlin?" The young manservant looked up over Morgana's head to see Gaius staring at him incredulously. "Oh my boy!"

Merlin disconnected from Morgana momentarily as Gaius shorted the gap between them and hugged him. He sunk into the grip and rested his head on Gaius's shoulder. He stayed there until his knees gave out with tiredness.

But even then he couldn't sleep. He refused to. Something was going on in his head that the others couldn't understand and, by the looks of things, not even Merlin fully understood. He turned his head to Kay, his eyes bleary and whispered hoarsely, the first words he'd spoken all day. "I need to see Arthur."

* * *

When the Prince next awoke, he pulled himself out of a dream with tortured screams and turned his head to find Merlin lying on a cot beside his bed. He frowned and looked around. It was night and Merlin was on his stomach with newly cleaned bandages and in his own clothing, with a neckerchief around his bruised neck with his head inclined to Arthur and a candle lit between them.

He took note of his surroundings, his chambers, and blinked in surprise when he saw Morgana asleep on the other side of his bed, arms tucked underneath her pillow. Apart from glancing her when he arrived, he had yet to communicate with his stepsister and now, seeing her tucked up under his blankets with her nightgown and robe on, he didn't think it was the right time.

His eye level shifted up and he saw, at his dining table was Gwen, hands sprawled out in front of her on the table, still in her day dress, also fast asleep though she had clearly been trying to keep herself occupied, a book in front of her and an array of tonics and tinctures Gaius had no doubt instructed her to use if something happened through out the night.

Despite his other two guests, Arthur attentions drew back to the one he had dreamt about. Mentally, he sent his thanks to Leon and he crept up slowly, careful not to wake Morgana on the bed or Gwen with any noise. He inched towards Merlin's cot and pressed a light hand to his shoulder.

Merlin woke up almost instantly, startled and Arthur quickly held him steady and broke his smile into his vision. "It's just me." he whispered. Merlin looked around the dark, his eyes wild and his breathing erratic until they finally landed on the candle and Arthur knew why it was there. _He's afraid of the dark._

Arthur regretted going near Merlin and wished he'd just let him sleep, quite quickly hoping to not have a repeat of the dungeons, especially with the girls in the room. "Merlin, it's me. It's Arthur." Merlin eyes finally found Arthur through the dark and his breathing quietened and became level.

Merlin shivered and Arthur pulled his blankets up and sat on the edge of his bed. As Merlin regained his grips on reality he smiled. "Leon came and got me with Kay." he said as quietly as possible, eyes darting to Gwen and then Morgana.

Arthur smiled back and couldn't stop his hand sliding through Merlin's hair. "I know. I sent them." Though he had, had no idea about Kay, he was glad he went too.

"I didn't leave." Merlin said quickly. "I didn't leave the room once."

"I'm glad." Arthur had been petrified that someone might break in though, but clearly they hadn't, Merlin alive in relatively in one piece. Or at least, in the same piece he'd left him in. "Are you alright?"

He started nodding but then stopped. He looked up at Arthur, his eyes glinting with nerves, anger and something more. _Fear…_ Arthur finally realised. He slid his good hand down and took Merlin's hand, squeezing it.

Merlin quietly cleared his throat then reached his hand to his neck and hesitated. "Do… do you want your ring back now?"

With a small nod, Arthur halted Merlin's still trembling hands as they tried to assist, undid the knot of leather himself and pulled it away. After looking through each of the charms again, Arthur slid his own ring out and back onto his finger and it was surprisingly warm for something that hadn't been worn in close to a month. Arthur helped Merlin sit up and put the necklace back on then sat on the edge of the bed as his manservant slid back down. "I'm sorry Merlin." Arthur murmured, staring down at his bruised face. "I should never have taken you with me on that hunt. You didn't want to go and-"

"You told me not to come. I would have anyway and I would have gone out of my mind if you'd gone alone."

Arthur knew it was true. Worse off, Merlin probably would have come after him and gotten himself captured anyway. "You're an idiot, you know that? A loyal idiot."

Merlin nodded with a small smile and replied, "And you're a great King. You will be a great King. You risked everything just for one person. Thank you."

"It wasn't because I'm a Prince." Arthur whispered, his eyes turning dark. "I did it because… because…" He left it hanging and stared at Merlin desperately so he could understand. Merlin did and nodded for him to continue knowing exactly what he wanted to say. "And you didn't deserve it. And I'll never be sorry enough and there is nothing I can do to make up for it."

"But, Arthur you already did." Merlin frowned and shook his head. "We made it. You got us home."

It was the first time he had heard Merlin call Camelot his home but he hid his glee. "Told you I would." he said simply, smiling.

Arthur went to simply withdraw his hand from Merlin's hair, when the boy reached out and took Arthur's wrist in a now familiar gesture and held him there. He stilled, not speaking, and stared at his hand wrapped around Arthur then looked up at him, biting his lip. "Stay?" he mumbled pathetically. Arthur rested his hand against Merlin's shoulder and nodded.

He glanced over his shoulder at Gwen then said, "But I should probably sort her out first."

Merlin looked up and then nodded, watching Arthur patiently as he got off the cot and went over to Gwen, picking her up in her sleep and taking her to the bed where he laid her down and threw the covers that had been over him, back over her.

After, he sunk back down to Merlin's cot and curled his knees up to hold them with one arm. His hand shifted from Merlin's shoulder to his wrist and he held it tight while he waited for Merlin to fall back asleep, Merlin's fingers curling back around Arthur's wrist to keep him there. After a long while of blinking slowly to try and watch Arthur and the candlelight and make sure neither went away, Merlin's eyes closed finally and didn't open back up as his breathing evened out. He kept his hand around Merlin's wrist, the other hand resting on his curled up knees as he kept a silent guard on his best friend through out the night.

* * *

Nimueh stalked down the charred halls of Odin's castle, the scent of fire still in the air, the kingdom burning to ashes. She smartly left all unharmed but the King, knowing Kay's guilt and how it would work against him, and the King was now cornered in his own throne room, glaring at her.

"What do you want with me, Nimueh? What did I do to you?" he demanded.

"Nothing." she shrugged, sighing and briefly glancing out to the ocean then back at the King. "This is more of a favour, Odin. Something I owe to someone who really hates you for what you've done to… a servant." She didn't completely understand. Emrys was her enemy. She knew he would stand against he every step of the way but Kay, held more of her love than most held her hate.

She drummed her fingers together and said, "You, my dear King shall be cursed to live out your blackest day every time you fall asleep. Your nightmare will seem so real, you will not be able to separate it from your reality, until night after night you will try to stop your fate, and by morning you will be mad with grief." With a flash of gold in her eyes, the spell was cast and Odin slumped to the floor. "Apologies in advance." she shrugged then disappeared with a flash of wind and light.

* * *

No nightmare woke Morgana in the middle of the night, which was a rare blessing, but then she caught a glance at the bracelet on her wrist and she knew why.

There was an odd tapping on her window and she blinked a few times before opening up her eyes to what she clearly did not want to believe.

A black crow sat in the window, a scroll resting in its beak. Morgana frowned and slid out of bed, looking around her room suspiciously in case someone was watching her, before opening the window and letting the bird fly to her vanity and drop the note neatly before departing.

Morgana rushed over and picked up the scroll, unfurling it.

_My dearest Morgana,_

_I know what you have grown up with, and I know what you must think of me. But know that I never meant any harm to you and merely wished to help you and look after you the way I know you deserve._

_I know your dreams are frightening but one day, my dear you will understand just how powerful you really are. Until then, wear the bracelet. It will safeguard you from the worst of it._

_If you ever need anything from me, call the crow to your room. His name is Henry._

_Love,_

_Morgause_

Morgana stared at the letter and curled it around her fingers. She closed her eyes, not truly believing that the High Priestess had wanted to hurt Arthur, but the King. She closed her eyes and bent her head forward in deep thought as she tried, with all her might to understand what everything was about.

* * *

*modern for the time… :)

**A/N: **How'd you like it? I'm back at university now, (should be fun) and my updates will be back to once a week and twice if I can make it... :( But hopefully you'll all stay with me and keep coming back! Um, Friday's (Australian Friday's) seem like a good updating day for me (this is actually because I just got back home to my own bed two days ago and just wrote) but I'm not really good at sticking to that stuff and, usually, that means I'll write twice a week or update earlier than expected... I'm not often a late updater.


	38. Parents

**A/N: **Oh wow! I am so sorry for the lengthy time it took me to update... Two weeks! That's a big record for me. I won't do it again (hopefully). I just had horrible writers block for writing from... someone's point of view. And then Merlin. I don't know if you guys picked up on it with the subtle way I _didn't_ describe Merlin's torture but, I hate writing torture scenes... I like fight scenes, because they move but torture is so slow and deliberate... **bubzchoc, **thank you! **High Serpent King, **not very... lol. Hehehe, everyone's Kay hating... I like dark!Kay. It's leading up to something... :) **A maze thing, **damn. It was so close and _almost_ the same. Kay is still good. He's just got a lesson to learn first. _Maybe _some good will come out of this. But then again, you're right. I am evil. BUT in saying that... The Good Guys Always Win in my stories... and I only like happy endings. And lol, yeah there is an ending. During my writers block I properly wrote out the timeline, so definitely an ending. **WrittenInStone, **Thank you very much! Thank you very much on the name claim. And I know! A lot more of the slash ones - quite a few of them - are better written and have more detailed plot-lines than the non-slash... It's frustrating for non-slashers. Please keep reading! I love return-readers and sorry for the long update. :) **jayley, **totally get it. It was just something I wanted to do. Not much more in the look of Merlin-whump to come... some Arthur later and then I'll get all my whumpness out. There is a touch of angst in here, but you'll want to read it to get on with the new arc and catch up on details you may have missed... this covers all the big stuff. P.S. Could have been badly written. I describe most of my work as 'badly written'. :) New arc-now! **Bundibird, **yay! They're safe. :) Sneaking suspicions are awesome... and I can't answer your question about Hunith because, well... Just read! No, I wasn't planning on putting them through more torture after that. I just wanted Arthur to break down nicely. (: I don't if it's possible to nicely break down, but you get me. I'm going to tell you (and whoever else reads this review)... Vivienne was banished for cheating on Goloris. That's what happened in that flashback. But Morgana was already born in the flashback. In fact, the way I worked out the ages, she would have been three... And Goloris never knew Morgana wasn't his daughter... Try understanding why I freaked at you saying 'two other men' now... But, psychic sounds good too. HEALING AHOY! **mrlnfan, **I'm assuming you typed off your iphone, because of the random question marks in your review where there are no questions. lol. Much appreciated! Oh, I will explain the Nimueh part in _Letters. _To much to explain here... But there is an explanation. Thank for the review and gladness. :) **IndiaMoore, **I thought I'd allude to it. :) Thanks for the review! **TN Sarah, **thank you! Hope you enjoy this chapter then. **Distressed Clover,** naww, thanks! Definitely not the last. He'll be okay. It won't be completely easy, but he'll get there. Thank you for the well wishes. 333 :)

There are small references in this to stuff that happens in _Letters..._ I planned it _ages_ ago (this story came first!) but if anyone gets confused, it's mostly the first chapter of _Letters _so go read that. :)

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Merlin Deagal wouldn't have died... I liked him too much.

* * *

**Parents**

The horses galloped through the gates of Camelot and moved straight from the lower town into the citadel, taking no break to stop. The horse, a borrowed steed, carried two passengers, one determined to get up to the castle as quick as possible and the other determined not to be left behind.

The older passenger dismounted first, her companion getting off from behind a moment later then attaching the horse to the closest stable as the first rushed up to the castle steps, ignoring the guards who tried to stop her.

The second followed soon behind, knowing the steps well enough and finally shooting through the wooden door that led to the physicians chambers. The old physician looked up, a little shocked but not completely surprised and his shoulders deflated when he saw her face.

"Where is my son?" Hunith demanded, Will peering around just behind her.

"Hunith." Gaius looked at his sister-in-laws blood niece and sighed. "Please. Sit down."

* * *

It took Arthur a week to recover from the dehydration and gain a descent amount of strength back, as well as his appetite that had been sorely lacking its normal gusto. But once Mary had found out, she laid out a full feast for him and Arthur just couldn't refuse it.

Merlin didn't eat, no matter what he claimed, and it was only Arthur glaring at him until he put some bread in his mouth that worked. He also, much to Gaius's quiet sadness, now slept in Arthur's antechamber, unable to stay in his own chambers from the cold and emptiness. He felt like he was drowning whenever he was there and Arthur couldn't help but be happy that Merlin wasn't too far, the feeling of his chambers at night reminding him a little too much of the ones in Druin.

It quickly became apparent that Gaius's potions worked on Merlin to encourage a dreamless sleep, but only at night and only for a short time. Merlin was immune to the potion and Gaius tried stronger doses, but even then, nothing could keep Merlin from the daydreams and it meant no one was really allowed to touch him freely with the exception of Arthur. He didn't mind so much when it was Gaius, Gwen or Morgana but he had to be willing or know they were coming. Leon and Kay kept their distance but were tolerated as company. Everyone else made Merlin particularly nervous. Arthur had been more closed lipped about his thoughts and feelings than usual and made it apparent to everyone that it hadn't effected it, even though he sniffed his drinks before they were handed to them and couldn't stand anything too sweet as it reminded him of the potions he took to relax him. He forced himself through all that pain and confusion because of his deep ingrained mind set that he _had_ to be strong for his people.

While Arthur had been unable to stay inside for too long and threw himself back into training and anything else that let him be outside but within the citadel, Merlin stayed inside, hiding in the upper, brighter levels of the castle but mainly, in Arthur's chambers with the door locked from the inside and staring out the window. He occasionally chanced himself to get to Gaius's chambers, but he never stayed there too long, the windows providing light but too high for him to look out comfortably. Arthur had the keys to his own chambers and could go in and out freely when Merlin gritted his teeth and locked the doors, but every other guest, Merlin would either timidly allow in or ignore until they went away. Though no one was completely sure if he was ignoring them or couldn't hear them, lost in his own thoughts.

Sometimes Arthur would walk into his chambers and find Merlin staring out into nothing, his eyes filled with panic. Quite a few times he woke up, either out of his daydream or out of his nightmare with a yelp or shout. Once, he walked into find the room seemingly empty but he could hear sniffles echoing his chambers and found Merlin curled behind his changing screen, silently crying and consoling himself.

Arthur hadn't been able to get him to pull him out. Merlin had flinched every time he tried, though didn't shake him off. So instead he joined Merlin there and waited until Merlin turned his head and asked, "Are you hungry?" Arthur just nodded and Merlin got up and went to call for dinner, unable to go to the kitchens where the windows started becoming sparse and the light dwindled.

Normally he would be fired for such things, unable to perform his duties to full capacity and making a Prince a nursemaid, but Arthur, filled with guilt at being the cause of Merlin's pains, simply let him and ordered the other servants to comply. He couldn't exactly clean out the stables because the workload was too much for him and his recovering hip and leg, but Arthur had already guessed he wouldn't anyway as it meant actually leaving the castle to go outside.

In complete opposite, if Merlin hadn't been in his chambers, Arthur would have spent every second outside in the courtyard, sparring and beating out his aggression while working on getting his shoulder back to full working order. But he braved himself for the feeling of claustrophobia every time he stepped inside, and went and checked in on Merlin.

"You will need to find a new manservant." Uther told him one night, a month after his return at dinner.

Arthur thanked every deity known to him that Morgana hadn't been there. If Merlin had one saving grace, it would be Morgana. Since it was declared Morgana no longer needed a nurse following her around and Helen had been let go, Morgana had been able to decide what to do with her time. All of it consisted of helping Merlin and he didn't mind the company so much, with Gwen and Morgana often tailing him around his duties.

Though whenever it came to changing his bandages and Gaius would be too busy, he would throw Morgana out of the room and only let Gwen assist.

When she asked why once he frowned and just replied, "It's too much."

She hadn't understood and asked Arthur about it and he just grunted, "Just let him go, Morgana." He argued that it was just a new weird Merlin-trait, but secretly he had understood. It was too much for Morgana. Gwen had seen a bit more, living in the lower town amongst the people and could understand a bit better. Morgana was quite sheltered and somewhat naïve about it all.

But still, she helped Merlin a lot though she did often report back to Arthur when Merlin was, in her words, 'empty' and 'not there' and he would trudge along and knock their elbows together until Merlin sat up and paid attention.

"I understand your troubles over the boy and I am more than happy to set him up his own chambers considering what he has been through and your obvious care for him, but this cannot go on. He haunts the castle like a ghost!"

It wasn't a bad description of the situation. The more time went on, the more Merlin had turned into a ghost. His lucid moments were far and few when Arthur wasn't there, but according to Gaius, it was to be expected. It was a miracle he managed to keep on going with menial tasks like polishing armour and tidying Arthur's chambers, but the work distracted him and Merlin liked to think it was his excuse for not going outside, the fact he had so much work inside.

Arthur humoured him, giving him large loads of washing to do, even if the shirts weren't dirty, and tasks that would occupy his time indoors. But soon he realised that what he was doing wasn't helping Merlin but hindering his recovery more.

"And it is completely inappropriate the way you fawn over the boy. Yes he was injured, yes you went through an ordeal, but you are the prince of a kingdom and you cannot hold one child to a higher importance than all your people."

Arthur took slight offends to that. He hadn't been shirking his duties. In fact, he was doing them double-time.

No he hadn't been on any patrols or hunts, but his shoulder was still bound and he didn't know how he felt about that to begin with, the entire ordeal starting with a hunt. Truth be told, while he did leave the castle, he hadn't been outside the citadel and didn't even dare go through the town. He shuddered at the thought, but kept that piece of information to himself.

But he attend all council meetings, insisted on tighter securities and encouraged his father that a peace treaty was a diplomatically better than outright war with Odin, though Arthur would be more than happy to see the old kings blood flow every time he saw Merlin. He, in fact, was more aware of the army's disposition in regards to following on war in Odin's kingdom. Whilst they were more than keen to exact revenge for their Prince, many were still wary about the ongoing attacks with Caerleon and Mercia, some with family in the effected villages.

More to the original point, Arthur didn't think he fawned over Merlin. Yes, he indulged many of his new habits, allowing him to lock the doors, free access to his chambers and even told the servants whatever he asked for he should receive - though they didn't need much convincing and Merlin never actually asked them for anything apart from things he couldn't gather from the kitchen or lower town for Arthur - but he couldn't help it! Merlin suffered for Arthur and nothing he could do would ever make that right.

The other thing was, Merlin was doing all his duties better than he had ever before. Not that Arthur actually thought that was a good thing – though had you asked him two months previous, he would have thought it was a miracle. He sometimes wanted to receive his armour scuffed, though he was pretty sure he was never going to see a rub or scratch on it again.

"I understand your concerns father, but I need to handle this myself." Arthur said to his father, politely putting his napkin on the table. "I don't want another manservant. Quite frankly I don't need one. I want Merlin."

Uther narrowed his eyes. "Then you give me no choice. He will–"

"Please father." Arthur interrupted desperately. He closed his eyes and rubbed them with the heel of his palms tiredly. "Please. I do not ask much of you. I do not ask for anything, really. Just allow me this one thing. Don't hurt him more. I know it's his duty as a citizen of Camelot to defend his prince, but he went above and beyond and… and I heard it all."

He looked up from his position, elbows on the table, and stared at Uther who was staring in shock. Arthur had told Uther about his capture and his escape, but not the journey or the imprisonment, nor the trail home. In fact, he had spoken about very little of it with anyone, just keeping to the minor details that he had been kept well fed and clothed but he'd escaped. "Just... Leave Merlin to me. He's my responsibility. I did this to him." With that, he dismissed himself, leaving his quietly shaken father behind and made it back up to his chambers, which were locked and this meant Morgana and Gwen weren't there either.

He withdrew the key and let himself in, slowly as to not scare his roommate of sorts. He found out, one afternoon, if he slammed the door open Merlin would shout and his breath would catch. Another time, he'd entered too quickly and Merlin had jumped so high, Arthur had almost laughed, until the absent look reappeared.

Candles and the fireplace washed the room in gold and Merlin held his feet and stared into the flames, watching them dance. He was too close for Arthur's liking, little angry sparks from the crackles flying loose and landing on the ground around Merlin.

There had been many times Arthur had come back into his room only to find Merlin with small burns on his clothes from sitting to close to the fire and not noticing, seeking out its light and warmth.

Slowly, Arthur closed the door behind him and went to his closet to get a shirt to change, still keeping an eye on him. It did him no good to barge over and drag him away. He'd most likely have a fit.

On his behalf, Merlin ignored him like he didn't know Arthur was there. Maybe he truly didn't. He obviously wasn't himself, his mind somewhere else. Arthur had those moments too. Where he would wake up and wonder where he was.

But Arthur attacked things. Arthur trained. Arthur fought.

Merlin had no fight in him, it appeared, or he just dealt in a manner Arthur couldn't understand.

"Merlin?" he called out, his nightshirt on. "Move back from the fire." Merlin looked up and sighed, shuffling back obediently then staring back at the flames. Arthur caught sight of a plate of food on the table and raised his eyebrow. "Did you eat?"

Merlin looked up and raised his eyebrow back at him, mirroring his actions a little mockingly. "No. Did you?"

Arthur picked up the full tray and walked over and sat next to Merlin beside the fire. Merlin sighed and stared back at the flames. He picked up one of the rolls and held it out. "Here." he said quietly. "Eat it."

Merlin reluctantly took the piece of bread and snapped it in half, shoving it into his mouth then giving a look to Arthur that asked if he was happy. Arthur just smiled back smugly.

It was a ghost of their usual banter but it was better than nothing. It wasn't like they could pretend they hadn't changed, but it was a relief to know some of them were still there, at least when they were around each other.

When another flicker of a flame got to close to Merlin for Arthur's liking, the Prince dragged him back by the shoulders and Merlin simply let him, sort of used to Arthur manhandling him and not minding it so much when it came from the Prince. "Eat." Arthur instructed again in regards to the rest of the bread.

The younger boy said nothing at Arthur moving him or ordering him but did bite off another chunk. They sat that way quietly and Merlin finished the bread and had some of the meat. He swallowed the last piece of it, then said, "I know I'm different. I know I'm scared of going anywhere below the front entrance level of the castle. I know your father really hates me right now–"

"He doesn't _hate _you." Arthur defended his father.

Merlin snorted. "Cedric came to talk to me about how the way I was acting was completely inappropriate to my station. That's the only part of the lecture I heard because I… blanked out." Arthur clenched his fists and wondered if his father had ordered Cedric to do such a thing before or after he decided to confront Arthur at dinner.

Merlin had stopped speaking and stared into the fire. Arthur waved his hand in front of Merlin's face, but instead of pulling him out of the confusion, it made his face crumple up and look at Arthur as though he was crazy. "I'm here, I've just got nothing more to say."

Arthur couldn't help but snort at the indignant tone then sobered his expression. He took the bread and broken more off, forcing it into Merlin's hand to eat again. "Can't tell the difference, honestly." He couldn't help but smile at the offended expression that now lit Merlin's face. It was so normal it pained him that it rarely appeared anymore.

Merlin smiled back then his lips faltered. "Arthur, I... I don't remember anything after you left the tavern. I was awake but I... I wasn't. I wasn't in the room, but I never left and then Kay and Leon was there and then you were waking me up in Camelot." His face crumpled. "You said don't leave so I didn't but... I think I did. I think I always leave. Since we escaped, I've been in two places at once. Two realities. Sometimes I think I'm not here." he whispered, fear evident on his face.

Arthur held his hand out palm facing up and Merlin reluctantly put his hand over it. "You're here, Merlin. Really." He gave a small squeeze to prove it but Merlin scoffed.

He swallowed thickly and shook his head. "That's what they say too. And what they do feels just as real."

Arthur frowned. "Who?"

He shook his head and looked back at the fire. "I don't know if I'm here and everything's fine or if I'm in the dungeons and I'm dying and the guards are... It all feels real. Both worlds." He squeezed his eyes shut. "Which one is real?"

"It's this one." Arthur said sincerely. "You've got to believe me it's this one."

"But what if it's not?" Merlin questioned, distrust flashing in his eyes. "What if you're telling me this because it's what I want to hear and then I fall asleep or drift off and I'm there again? Every time I think I'm safe something happens and I'm back there and…" he sighed and looked back to the fire. "I hate this." he muttered, gritting his teeth together. "I know what's real, I know what's not but I don't…" he glared at his hands and then lost all his anger and heat and became limp. "I don't know how to keep going and it's just an endless circle."

There was a moment where Arthur was about to agree, but he stopped himself. He bit his lip then said, "Maybe… maybe you should come outside."

Merlin's head snapped up at the suggestion and his eyes grew wild. "Outside?"

"Yes. Not for long. Just go for a walk. Your leg is getting stiff against. It needs to be moved, doesn't it?"

"I walk around the castle." Merlin pointed out.

"You walk around the corridors."

"I watch you train sometimes." he confessed. "From the window on the west side."

Arthur's brow furrowed. "I know. I've seen you, but… you won't be going out of the citadel. Ask Morgana to take you for a walk around the royal gardens. I'm pretty sure you've never been there before." Merlin shook his head. "Well, go. Maybe seeing something new will remind you, you're here and not in there." He rapped Merlin's head with fist lightly but the boy was just staring at him in shock.

There was a knock on the door and both boys looked up, a little stunned. Merlin stood and approached a wall to stand beside and Arthur sighed, watching him fall into his normal servant role. It was something he was insisting on, though Arthur couldn't care less, roles oddly reversed.

"Come in." he called out.

It was all for naught as Leon stuck his head in the door and glanced around. "Sire, Merlin." He greeted both of them.

Arthur nodded once, "What is it? If it's my father the tell I'll see him in the morning."

"Actually, it's not your father." Leon turned to Merlin. "It's your mother, Merlin."

* * *

It had been exactly a month since the famed Balinor, ex-Lord of Ambrosius, had met his son.

_His_ son. He had a son.

At least he thought he had a son.

Hood over his head, Balinor got through the streets of Camelot relatively easy. After the Prince of Camelot and his friend – _his son_ – left his company, Balinor set about for the rest of the day blindly removing the bodies of Odin's men from his sight, burning them in a pyre to dispose of the bodies.

Then he tracked the Prince of Camelot and the boy named _Merlin_ – the name that the Prince had murmured to the young man when he was convinced Balinor wasn't listening, only Balinor had grown up in a castle and was quite versed in the art of paying attention to hushed conversation so he could have gossip to exchange for food with the kitchen staff – to Engerd, the town he often sifted through for supplies.

He had arrived in time to see the Prince leaving, alone. There had been parts of the conversation he had heard from the previous night about leaving Merlin alone for a night. Balinor had considered going up there and talking to him, but the thought of the small neck gripped beneath his hand stopped him in his tracks and he stayed at the tavern, drinking and waiting and watching because he had seen how the Prince had acted around his serving boy and he knew there was no conceivable way he would leave Merlin behind forever.

It was only the next night when Balinor found what he was waiting for in the form of two knights, both of whom were painstakingly familiar.

His eyes looked up and down his nephew first, who was talking to the barkeep. Balinor hadn't seen Kay since he was five years old, but he looked so much like Ector, his eyes and the way his hair curled in the same manner, that it made his heartache.

He saw his nephew's eyes dart to the stairs and he ran up, followed a moment later by yet another knight, a curly haired one who Balinor knew was Lewis' son. _They still have each other,_ he thought nostalgically and then watched as they went upstairs to find Merlin.

Balinor waited for a long while then watched as Lewis' son came back down and requested food. He waited for it to be prepared and scanned the tavern in the meantime. Over the distance, their eyes met and the young man stared at Balinor with a small frown. Balinor matched his stare but a second later, the food was handed over to the young knight and he went off with it.

Not too long after, Kay came back down and stormed out of the tavern. Balinor considered going after him, talking to him, asking him about Merlin, but then he stopped himself. Kay hadn't seen him for so many years and, looking down on himself, he wasn't in the best shape, his clothes shabby and not having bathed properly in a few months. Suddenly, Balinor felt himself wrapped up in shame.

He was an ex-Lord, the last Dragonlord and living in a cave, nothing more than an angry shadow of the man he used to be. He had no pride, no self-respect and he definitely could not be a father to a young boy.

_Hunith…_ What if the boy wasn't even his son? What if she had moved on and he was just guessing? What if she'd given the boy the dagger just as a measure, unable to keep it from the horrible memories it brought, or just not caring and handing off his totem of becoming a Dragonlord frivolously?

_No, she wouldn't… But if she was taken unwillingly… _The thought pained him that maybe Hunith would give his heirloom because she wanted him to be the father.

It wasn't like he'd given her anyway of contacting him or even any indication of his return. He'd heard the knights of Camelot were coming and bolted. Yes, he was friends with a vast majority of them but he already knew Arnold had been in the party of men coming for him. Lewis, his good friend had warned him as much.

With a sigh, he sat back on his chair and stared glumly at the door, waiting for Kay to return, fingering the lip of his mug shamefully at the fact he couldn't go up and comfort his own nephew, who was no doubt still aching from the loss of his father. He couldn't even go be a damn father to the boy who was possibly his son and horrifyingly injured, the last time he saw him.

When the boys departed in the morning, Balinor had intended to follow but then realised they were going to Camelot and, while he had risked going to Ector's funeral, to find Merlin he would most likely have to get inside the castle, especially if he worked for the Prince.

_My son, a mere servant. _He blinked and then looked down at himself and his ragged tatters and snarled.

He stayed a few nights at the tavern, waiting and watching for Odin's men or anyone who would come looking for the boy and the prince. He wanted to head them off and snap the rest of their necks in revenge and, by the sixth night was praying they did come. After a week, there was no one and he heard word through the villagers that Prince Arthur was once again at his fathers side and took it to mean that Merlin was there too.

He had meant to go back to his cave. To think and to ponder over what the Prince-boy had suggested. That he was a father. That his Dragonlord dagger had been passed on willingly from his love as an heirloom. But unconsciously, he started walking in the direction Ealdor, and when the night fell he simply set up camp even though he had nothing more than a sword and a small bag of coins.

That night, Balinor didn't sleep, simply staring at the flames all night and unconsciously fiddling with a large branch he'd found and carving into it until dawn when he found a small wooden totem of a falcon. After inspecting it, it wasn't just any falcon, but an image of the old merlin falcon he owned. Hermes, the name he had given the winged creature, had long ago passed but it had been the only way he could talk to Hunith for many years when she lived in Ealdor and he in Camelot.

"Merlin." he murmured, twisting the bird around in his fingers.

He pocketed the carving and kept walking, arriving in Ealdor just after lunch. He walked around the edges of the village and sat there, watching the village from a safe distance. He kept his hood over his head as he sat and watched, eyes firmly planted on a hut he had long ago tried to forget, to no avail.

For a few days he sat there and watched and, intrigued, he saw a young boy with Hunith on most days. He couldn't have been much older than fourteen and he frowned, trying to figure out the relation between the two.

Hunith treated the boy like a son and he treated her like a mother in return. But at night he would go into the hut next door where he seemingly lived alone. If he remembered correctly from his time in Ealdor, a retired knight by the name of William had lived there with his wife – a woman he couldn't quite recall. He remembered Sir William to be a kind man but he had no children.

It all confused him.

Another week of camping around the village, led him inside.

He couldn't understand why, but he pushed forward and found himself with his hood deep over his head, at the door of Hunith's hut. He hesitated, unwilling to knock and make his presence known once more. Unwilling to bring danger and confusion to his childhood love once again. He gritted his teeth though, and raised his fist to the wood and lightly rapped it twice, needing to know the answers to his question.

"And you are?" he spun his head around and saw the young boy who often rushed off on errands for Hunith standing behind him.

His brow furrowed and he stared at the boy. "Me, boy. Who are you?"

"I asked you first."

"And I am your elder. You should show me some respect by answering my question." Balinor said sternly.

"And you should show me some respect by not thinking me a mere farmers son." The boy drew his shoulders back and grinned. "Trust me mate, you ain't going to win with me. Now tell me what's your name and your business at that door there or I can show you to Emun. I hate the git, but he does seem to have a way with strangers."

Balinor remembered Emun with a distinct dislike and growled. He turned to the door then back at the young boy. "Where is Hunith?"

"Your chances are up, my friend. Emun it is." Before Balinor could argue, the boy was bolting off in the other direction to one of the larger houses in the small village.

Balinor swore under his breath and disappeared from Ealdor without another word.

He had gone back all the way to the lip of his cave, muttering about how much he hated _everything_ and _everyone_ underneath his breath, until he kicked his foot against and rock and turned back towards Ealdor. Then he turned back to his cave, remembering something, and headed inside.

Carefully, he emptied all his treasured possessions. A gold fibulae that was his mothers in the shape of a rose, his fathers sword, a ring from his brother and the complete collection of letters he had from Hunith. They were all he could afford to carry with him and these items were precious to him and now he added the carved merlin bird to his collection that he could not seem to lose. Every time he considered discarding it, it reappeared in his hand and he simply stared at it with affection.

At first, his intentions were to go back to Ealdor, confront Hunith and demand to know why she hadn't tried to find him to tell him of his son. But then, unwillingly like before, his feet found themselves moving quietly towards Camelot.

A few days later, he found himself stalking the streets, quietly avoiding anyone who may have recognised him, and taking up residence at a dingy tavern near the very edges of the citadel, _The Horse's Mouth_. He knew that, back in days gone by, Ector and Lewis had secured vast range of alcohol from the place and now, he was going to use the comforts of such fancies from Market City – a trading city on the borders of the east of Albion that mostly dealt in Persian, Ottoman and Italian trades – to Ierne – the land beside Albion.

During the day he snuck around with his hood drawn over his face and used the old battlement secret stairs that, clearly, the guards knew nothing of, to get up to the top of the wall to spy on the courtyard. There he watched the training and watched the young Prince recover his shoulder slowly but surely. He remembered spotting the way Merlin had been limping around and wondered what they were doing for his injuries, if anything at all.

He had been in Camelot for four days and he had yet to spot Merlin at all and this made him nervous. _What if he didn't survive his wounds? What if something I did turned him feral? He was already so close…_ Balinor found himself worrying about being a good father, being a good influence and mostly, what had happened to the boy who he still couldn't confirm was his son with anymore than a hunch and the word of his distant nephew.

It was the late afternoon and Balinor was beginning to lose track of the days and watched as Arthur sparred with Leon and another knight in the evening light. He was sweating and panting but wore a grin on his face as the physical exertion spent him and possibly made him feel. Balinor had understood that at one point in his life. When he was young and arrogant.

_He is a child,_ he thought to himself and, upon looking down at the Prince he knew it was true.

Despite his broad shoulders and strong looking jaw, the prince did look his age of seventeen and, in some lights, younger, especially when he winced in pain from being hit or when his shoulder jarred up. Balinor found himself comparing Arthur to his parents and it was strange the mix he saw.

He was stubborn and forceful like Uther, the way he fought reflecting the way his father had once done. When he and an opponent were locked in swords, Arthur would always force his opponents hand upwards and Balinor couldn't help but smirk. It was something Uther had down in the past and was often scolded for by Sayard, Balinor's father. Out of curiosity, whenever Arthur forced the swords up, he glanced to Kay who rolled his eyes. "Bat the sword to the side, boy." Balinor found himself murmuring after two weeks, unable to stop himself as he watched Arthur train. If he swung the sword out, rather than up or down, it would swing the arm away with enough force to make a killing strike, whereas the other two ways gave his opponent momentum to swing back.

The rest, Balinor noted, was all Ygraine. When he knocked one of his men down, he smiled widely the way she used to and helped lift them up from the ground. His eyes were the same blue, the same cerulean that melted hearts and mended them. A few of the servants and children from the lower town came up to watch the fights and Arthur greeted them all and chuckled as a small girl slammed into his legs and gave him yellow daisies. He ruffled her hair and smiled. Looking at Arthur, he couldn't help but be reminded of the young girl who had defended him from the more rougher games his older brother and their friends played and who tutted her tongue and scolded him for not eating his greens and with that last memory, he was smiling.

Balinor couldn't remember the last time he had truly smiled and wiped it off his face and turned it into a scowl when he realised _Uther's son_ had made him smile. Uther, who would see him dead rather than own up to his wrongdoings and the man who broke his strange menagerie family of knights, Dragonlords, ex-slaves and peasants, a druid and a court physician, apart. He spun on his heel and stormed back to The Horses Mouth, not noticing the galloping horses that made their way up to Gaius's chambers carrying his one true love.

* * *

When Merlin had first heard of his mother in the castle, he blacked out of Camelot and found himself sitting in an unlit dungeon and in so much pain that his insides were aching. He curled over himself and looked around but, as usual, saw nothing. He felt around and the stone was damp, gritty and rubbed dirt in between the ridges of his skin.

He blinked when he heard a snap to his left and turned his head to look at Arthur, clicking his fingers. "I'm fine." Merlin assured him, shaking his head. "I… I haven't written in more than two months now. She must have worried."

Arthur nodded but didn't look like he was worried much about Hunith's arrival but more about Merlin's reaction. "Should we go see her now?" Arthur asked.

Merlin noticed the slight possessive tone in his voice and heard the distinct 'we' and the younger didn't know if Arthur was coming for him or for himself, but either way he appreciated it. "I… I don't know." And truly, he didn't. He didn't know what to do. What his mother would ask him. What to tell her if she did.

Alarming, the world started becoming to large around him and he felt he should curl up and let it become smaller. _Which is strange,_ he thought. Merlin would have thought that he would want to be in wide-open spaces after what he went through. He'd spent an afternoon polishing Arthur's armour and thinking about it in great detail but he finally came to the conclusion that he was afraid of the openness. Afraid of what could come and get him.

It annoyed him greatly that when Arthur offered for him to walk around the royal gardens, a privileged opportunity, but he couldn't even bring himself to do that. It frustrated him and made him angrier than he already was but now… _What if she wants to take me back to Ealdor?_ His heart thudded, seeing nothing but darkness and feeling the sharp strike across his cheek that Emun had left him with and Roland repeated.

At the thought of Roland, his hand went to his lower stomach where the name had faded from a thick scar into small brownish ridges. He hadn't even noticed when it happened, or at least hadn't noticed what was being written on him. He had definitely noticed the knife carving into his flesh. His hand moved to his dagger and he remembered, sickly, that Roland had bragged it was carved with his own blade.

"Merlin?" he looked up and saw Leon and Arthur staring at him with probing, nervous stares, like he was going to bolt. He huffed. He wished they would stop that.

"Um, yes. I should go see her. I'm sure she's worried." he frowned and started walking forward but didn't pay attention and stubbed his toe on the chair. He hissed and jumped up and started falling back when Arthur caught him by the scruff of his neckerchief and yanked him back up. For a moment, the briefest of seconds, he choked.

And then he wasn't there anymore.

Rather, two thick hands were wrapped around his neck, squeezing the air out of him whilst another roughly tugged at his already aching leg by the cuff of his ankle. Merlin wheezed, his lungs on fire and he tried to escape, kicking out his feet. He couldn't tell if his vision was darkening or not, but for the life of him he could feel unconsciousness seeping inside his skull in a dull ache. "Such a youngin' too. Shame we ain't gonna keep ya for much–"

"_Mer_lin." he snapped his head up and saw Arthur leaning in front of him, one hand on his neck the other on his shoulder. "Are you with me?"

Merlin nodded stiffly then rubbed his throat, taking a deep breath. "Yes. Let's go."

Leon escorted them through out the castle, which made Merlin even more nervous. It was already nighttime and some halls were unlit with torches, or had them too far and in between. He had no desire to go down those halls. Even though he could see the sky, the darkness still intimidated him and he hated being out in it and with Leon around, on guard, it made it feel as though Danger was going to grab them up in her claws and tear them apart.

He didn't realise his hand had slipped around Arthur's wrist as they walked until they'd reached the front door of Gaius's chambers and Arthur slid his hand into his and squeezed it lightly before letting go completely. His hand felt cold and nerves crept up inside of him and he wanted to turn back and hide in his small antechamber, barely twice the side of the width of his bed and only a little bit longer. In all honesty, he didn't mind the cramped feeling, if only because the window took up the entire width of the wall.

The only thing that stopped him going back was the fact it was dark and he had a feeling, if he ran, Arthur probably wouldn't let him hold onto his wrist while he bolted.

The Prince knocked the door and then headed inside when they heard Gaius. Arthur went in first and Merlin then obliged Leon to go in ahead of him, both their build and bulk hiding Merlin's slender frame from sight for a moment as he stood in the hall.

There was a sound to the right of him and he turned his head, looking down the hall until he saw a door opening, brushing against the floor as it did so. The sound of the wood grazing against the tile wasn't the same as the iron grating against the stone but he still trembled and his breath hitched for a moment as an image of light breaking through darkness slid into his memories and the shadows of faces he could barely make out stepping through before the door closed once more.

The ghost of a finger trailed down the side of his face, going to his neck to caress it as one of the men – the one who couldn't say his t's whose name he never learnt - hissed into his ear exactly what would be happening to him. "Just remember, little manservant. It's all for your master." Some mornings that had been enough for Merlin to take the beatings and the tortures and the men. Some days all he needed to know was he was doing it in place of Arthur. That Arthur wouldn't feel the pain.

Other mornings, it wasn't enough and a tiny horrible part of him that he wanted to destroy and burn just wished – only a little – that Arthur was in his place. He couldn't decide what actually felt worse, but by far it was the torture.

Especially when it came to Roland.

"Merlin?" he looked up and saw his mother, her eyes watering as she stared at him. His gaze flickered to Gaius then back to his mother and then to the cups of tea. He saw Will, sitting with his face filled with shock, anger and loathing towards Arthur and then back to the tea and his mentor.

"He told you then." he said simply. Before he could gasp, Hunith had her arms around him, engulfing her in a hug and squeezing him.

It was the first time he'd seen his mother, held his mother, since that fateful day in Ealdor two years ago and before Odin, it was the thing he craved for more than anything. They wrote to each other weekly, but it wasn't the same. But now the arms felt cold and empty. He clung onto his mother, knowing it was something he should be doing but he was trying to search for the comfort she would normally give him, but couldn't find it.

It wasn't that he didn't love her. No, far from it. He loved her so much that it was paining him to burden her with such a thing and he didn't want her to feel so horrible. "My son." she gasped, stroking his hair and pulling back slightly. "Merlin, I am so sorry. If I had known I'd never have sent you here. Oh Merlin, forgive me please?" she started to cry and held onto him again and his arms warmed slightly, only because he realised he was comforting her.

"Mother, there is nothing to forgive." he reassured her and held her back, just as tight. "Really." He looked over her shoulder and his eyes met Will and, for a moment, he took him in.

Will had grown, but not by much. Instead of them matching each other in height, Will was a head shorter than him at the least. His hair had grown out a little, becoming scruffy and tied just to the nape of his neck and the shadow of light hairs coloured his upper lip. "How you going clack-dish?"

"I thought that was one of mine." Merlin chuckled.

"I can't call you a piss-pot in front of your mother. She'll get the wrong idea."

Hunith turned over her shoulder and glared at Will who instantly backed off. "William, I will not hear such language from you."

"Sorry Hunith." he said lightly, tipping his head in shame and Merlin noted, with a bit of jealousy, how easily his mother scolded Will like a son yet he felt cold in his own mothers arms.

He turned to look for Arthur, suddenly needing him to reassure him with a smile or a nod that he was doing the right thing when he couldn't see the Prince. He turned his head again and Arthur had walked around the room unnoticed and stood against the wall in the corner with Leon beside him. "What happened?" Hunith demanded. "Tell me. Oh my boy." she cupped his cheeks in her hand and squeezed before leading him to sit on one of the benches. "What happened? Gaius merely said you were kidnapped but…" she trailed off and traced over his forehead where a faint scar would probably stay forever.

Merlin looked to the bench and stared at the wood. He opened his mouth to speak when, for the second time in one night his confession was cut off by an alarmed knock at the door. It flung open before anyone could call for them to enter and a guard stumbled in, panting. "Sire, you're here." he gasped, turning to Arthur, and Merlin exhaled at the same time.

For the first time, Hunith noticed the Prince's presence properly, turning her eyes up to him and a slight frown gracing her features of confusion. "What is it, Errol?" Arthur asked, recognising the guard from one of his father's personal contingent.

"Sire, there's been an attack… a patrol. Your father wishes to see you this instant. Sir Leon too."

Arthur stood and looked to Leon who nodded and went to follow. Just as they reached the door, Merlin stood too. He didn't even look back as he started to follow Arthur out but his mother called out. "Merlin. Where are you going?"

He stopped and turned to stare at her, a little confused as what was happening with his mind. "I… Arthur might need me."

"For an attack on a patrol?" she said seriously.

He turned his head over his shoulder to see that Arthur and Leon had already left then back at his mother. "It's complicated." he sighed. "I will return. Just… I need to go." The thought of how far ahead Arthur might be from him and how many dark halls he'd have to cross by himself and before anyone could stop him, he bolted.

He got three steps down the hall however when he found Arthur, Leon and even the guard Errol had already turned the corner and were out of his sights. For a moment, Merlin froze. He knew where to go, but to go _alone_ and _in the dark_. The thought flittered around his head, taunting him and making him seize up.

"Can I tag along?" He turned to see Will standing behind him, hands shoved in his pockets. "I'll wait outside the hall and everything, but… just for the walk. I never really got to see much of the palace last time." He shrugged but Merlin knew that Will just didn't want to leave him.

Once again, he found his body doing things without his own knowledge, and his hand wrapped around Will's like they had when they were children, searching through the forest for wild berries and other edibles. Will was momentarily surprised but then squeezed Merlin's hand back and tugged him forward until the two boys were hugging. Merlin gripped Will firmly with one arm around his waist and the other around his shoulder, and Will held him back in an opposite fashion. "Lords I've missed you." Will laughed.

Merlin did too but couldn't voice it. He held Will tighter in return and rested his forehead on his shoulder like he would when they were kids. "Are you still going to go after the Prince of Prats?"

Merlin chuckled. "He's not that bad." he defended, tugging back just enough to see Will. "And we better move."

Like Arthur, Will let Merlin hold his wrist as he quickly navigated the route Arthur would have taken to the main chambers and caught up to him. Arthur shot him a look of confusion s he approached and added a glare to Will for good measure. "What are you two doing?" he demanded.

"I'm coming with you. Will's here for the journey."

"I'll stay outside." Will added. "No doubt the King would be _thrilled_ to see the great duo of Merlin and Will again, but let's leave that for a bigger audience shall we?"

"You're_ not_ going to get me thrown into the stocks again. It's been three months since my last visit and I want to hold that streak." Merlin grinned and Arthur was taken aback. It felt like lifetimes since he'd seen Merlin beam like that and when Merlin caught Arthur's stunned face, he turned bright pink. Arthur was quite certain he'd never throw Merlin in the stocks again if it meant he'd keep smiling like that, relief sweeping over him at the sight.

They continued on their way through the dark halls, Merlin's hand around Will's arm and tightening whenever a shadow danced too high or far. The satisfaction of smiling had set something off inside of him and, as well as breaking a new record for the stocks, Merlin was breaking new grounds of how long he'd gone without a single hallucination.

Although, upon reaching the Great Hall, Merlin started to question his judgement in coming at all. Will waited outside and Merlin went inside with Arthur, as he usually did in such situations. Though it had been such a long time, he wasn't certain of what to do anymore and the glare Uther offered him upon his entrance was enough to send Merlin reeling to a standstill. Arthur shot him a look to wait by the door and Merlin had never been more thankful, concentrating on a flickering candle and the voices to get him by.

"Sire." Arthur said curtly, nodding his head to the king. Beside Uther stood Sir Arnold, dressed as though he had not yet even been to his chambers. "There was an attack?"

"A raid." Uther asserted. "On the ruins of the village of Darreth."

Arthur frowned. "A ruined village?"

"It was destroyed by dragons years ago. The fire made the land fertile. It is simply farmland now, containing crops that feed the neighbouring village and good part of Camelot. It's under guard from the locals, however knights don't go there often."

"Why not?" Arthur asked. "If it contains most of the crops…"

"It's on the lands of Ambrosius." Uther said stiffly. "The patrols coming from the other Lords are organised on their own lands. Camelot shares its own guards with that part of the land."

Arthur understood. There were four Lords of Camelot, divinding the land into five parts including the citadel. Lord Gerome Cadeyrn had inherited the title in a War Game, Lord Hagen and owned most of the north-east, residing in a small manor and running a village beside the Vale of Denaria. He was a cruel lord, but even Arthur had to admit his tactics in holding off all the trouble from Mercia and parts of Essetir worked well.

Lord Adelias de Barbes was a pure blood, descending from the original Lord de Barbes that had founded Camelot along with Ambrosius, Hagen, Ashdown and Pendragon and had the south-east, guarding the valley between Odin's land and Essetir that eventually led out to Alined and Olaf's territories. Arthur didn't mind him so much, the man a decade older than him and often quite kind but ruthless in politics.

The third Lord was Lord Ashdown, an older gentlemen whose name was Harold No Name, before he married the previous Lord Ashdown's daughter and took over the lands of the North-West. He kept Caerleon's men busy enough and had actually increased Camelot's borders and coffers as the villages in the area enjoyed knowing their Lord had once been apart of the people. Since the loss of Lord Ambroisus, he had taken over the duties of a lot of the Western Isle too, though usually stood away from them because of the curse.

The curse was the reason why the title Lord Ambrosius belonged to no one. During the time when Camelot was first taken over, so the King would never grow too greedy and forget that he is indebted to those who made him who he was, he signed a magical contract to ensure that only his chosen Lords could choose who inherited their lands and titles. As the last Lord Ambrosius was banished before he had a chance to pass on his title, the lands of Ambrosius that lied to the south-west curse those who try and tame it with bad luck.

As far as Arthur knew, he was the only one who knew Balinor was alive. His eyes gazed over Arnold who was eying Merlin suspiciously.

He didn't glance at Merlin, instead keeping his eyes firmly on his father, refusing to acknowledge the young boy who should have been Lord Ambrosius if his father hadn't also been a Dragonlord. "So this farm in Darreth has been attacked." Arthur supplied. "And you wish me to go investigate?"

"The patrol we sent were attacked, all dead. If you are up to it, I want your men to go and come back with" Uther warned him. "I know this last month you have still been recovering. Gaius has told me your shoulder is progressing, but if you cannot…"

"No." Arthur didn't want to shun his duties. He didn't want the nerves that were already building in his stomach at the nightmarish thought of leaving the citadel. "I'm fine, father. I've already started restoring the muscles and, at the best, it is not my sword arm."

"If you are sure." Uther said steadily. "I want you and your men to leave at dawn. Find what happened."

"Who sent word of the patrol's demise?" Arthur asked quickly.

Uther frowned a little then nodded to the shadows. Arthur and Merlin both turned, surprised when a boy, a little older than Merlin, but younger than Arthur stepped forward from the shadows. Arthur hadn't noticed him and Merlin definitely hadn't as he spent most of his time looking away from the shadows. The boy's hair was long and made from unruly locks of brunette, tied with a string to the nape of his neck. His eyes, large and brown were slightly fearful as he stared at the prince and king, but not out of worry but awe of the power they held between them. "This young man. He has also offered to be a guide as he lived in the village next to Darreth."

Arthur frowned and stared at the boy. "Which village is that?"

"Gormon, sire." he replied, bowing as he spoke, a little unsure of himself. "I know most of the surrounding areas and… and I was apart of the patrol to guard the fields. I only just managed to escape with one of your guards."

"He saved Sir Wallace's life." Arnold spoke up, a touch of admiration in his eyes. Arthur thought that was curious as, usually, Arnold showed respect to no one. "And mine." _There it is, _the prince thought.

"We will leave at first light." Arthur said. "Merlin…" he started but then immediately regretted it. He looked up to see his father glaring at him and wisps of their earlier conversation came back to him. _I cannot show favour to him right now, _he growled under his breath then kept on going with his normal orders. "Have my horse prepared and ready to leave." Merlin looked frazzled, suddenly unsure of what to do with himself. "After you prepare me for bed, of course." he added and Merlin got the message. _We'll talk first._

They were dismissed from the King's presence and the boy from the village followed them out under orders to tell Arthur all he knew. Will was just outside and shot quizzical looks but Merlin simply gripped onto his wrist and sagged into him a little. Leon and Arthur, the only other two with them, looked mildly concerned but Arthur had to turn his attentions to the new man with them. "I apologise. I don't think my father told me your name."

"He didn't." the boy replied. "I'm Lancelot." He looked to Merlin, Will and Leon too as he spoke. "It's a pleasure."

* * *

**A/N: **In other news! My first story was published 14/02/2004 so today (Australian time) is my 9th anniversary. I have written 97 complete stories in that time, (one-shots, series, multi-chap, drabbles, iPod shuffles) over a whole lot of genres... I have over 1000 reviews (That's on one account - obviously not this one) and I'm celebrating my twentieth birthday on Monday too! (I don't want to stop being a teenager! *tears*)

I always upload a birthday chapter... Because the reviews are like presents from the internet... that don't ask for your credit card details... :)

P.S. If anyone wants to give me an awesome present, I'm trying find this Merlin story that I *cannot* for the life of me remember... It's one where Balinor is Cenred's brother and Cenred hate's Balinor so tries to kill Merlin. Anyone...? Anyone...? Bueller...? :) If you just want to send me to an equally as angsty and painful fiction, go ahead but I'm trying with all my might to find this story!


	39. The Past in the Present

**AN: **I think I'm a horrible person and I'm deeply ashamed of myself... Firstly this is late. _Very _late. I'm never _ever_ this late. Not with updates… Unless of course: SEVERE WRITERS BLOCK! Okay, well not severe. I had writers block for this part of the story. I actually wrote an EPIC ending and another arc that was always intended and happens _later_ for this and really detailed it... I mean, there are things I have to add and stuff in regards to other characters bar Morgana/Gwen/Arthur/Merlin, but I have their endings set and done. But I apologise. I sort of screwed things up last chapter… You know when you're writing and you write something that you weren't intending to happen… Lancelot showing up then and there was that unintended thing… He _was_ supposed to show up in this little saga, just not there and it sorta screwed things up mentally… SO! After being drunk for 7 days (I kid you not. Thursday night - Wednesday night, my friends/family took me out for my birthday even though my birthday was just on the Monday… on which I had too many mimosa cocktail things at breakfast… This is the plus side of being from a divorced household and having three friendship circles who don't interact with each other because they have more drama than the Housewives of Beverly Hills and New Jersey combined…) and spending the rest of the week ripping my hair our trying to figure out how to fix this plotline, I did what I always do when I have writers block. Find ridiculously bad fanfiction… Which leads to the SECOND reason why I'm a horrible person… Laughing at horribly written/poor plotline/emo-band-based/angsty-everyone-had-a-problem-Mary-sue-childhood fanfiction just unblocks my negative chi… I had to ask around but I finally found a Merlin one that hit my favourite spots and, even I had to endure a lot of slash/poor vocab, a Mary-Sue, Arthur's non-existent brother Callum (who _toats_ looks like Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian… like… yah) and an NC-17 rating though I'm pretty sure the girly who wrote it was 14 (I'm pretty sure the majority of us in fanfiction have been there)… IT WORKED! Not as good as '_My Immortal_', Harry Potter (which I have the recorded reading of on my iPhone and constantly listen to, just to hear the guys say 'eks-eks-eks-eks-eks…') or _'Legolas'_ by Laura (which there is a funny spoof on Merlin fanfiction about Gwaine and an apple) but it did the trick. P.S. I actually listen to a lot of emo/rock bands… MCR, 3DG, 3DD, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus… But I also listen to Stevie Wonder and the Temptations… Musically diverse people are often happier and write less tragic FF… :)

**Reviews: elendoy, **thank you for reviewing at all! I'm so glad my story makes you feel that way. I hope my English doesn't confuse you too much. Keep reviewing too! **Guest, **_(update plzzzz, miss!)_ UPDATED! :) **Guest, **_(HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR LAST WEEK! Update. :))_ Thank you very much and UPDATED! **Guest, **_(Are you going to update? Please don't just leave this story... Please!) _I can honestly say that I have never just left a story. I always finish it. But here is the update. :) **PLEASEEE,** hahaha... You're the review that I thought, 'I better fix this writers block' for and started fleshing things out... UPDATED!) **Palmtree219, **updated. Hope this gives you some reprieve. I've been studying my ass off too right now, in the middle of my trimester... Writing makes it better though. :) **Guest, **(_Update soon? :))_ UPDATED! **Bundibird, **Yes! Lancelot. I did always intend him to come in during this arc, I just had a totally different way how until I wrote that and, now that I've thought of it, it worked out better. And Balinor will be catching sight of someone alright... ;) Will will go a-questing, don't you worry. I'm glad you like Will and Merlin dynamic... And about your thought... It's the same thought I'm trying to figure out! I've been toying with the idea for some time but... I don't know yet if that canon will be ignored or not. I'm trying to see whether it will greatly affect what I've already written (in regards to the ending of this is written) or not. Hahaha... I like that I'm a fanfiction 9 year old... I feel as though it gives me an excuse to be 9. And thanks for your P.S. It's encouraging. :) **bubzchoc, **THANK YOU! **Distressed Clover, **thanks for the b'day message. It was actually the first birthday message I received on the day. (mainly because I had been up checking my emails at midnight, but still)... Will, will awesomely help out Merlin and Lancelot... hehehe **camoc, **there is a bit more Lancelot in here... You're possibly the first person ever to tell me Australia rules and the story is _The King's Legacy _by llLethell. READ IT! **High Serpent King, **it's _really_ circling now... READ ON! **xxx Ayu-chan xxx**,thank you for the review and the story... It was The King's Legacy. Thanks for your help! Oh and yes, more Balinor ahead. **morganaxmerlin, **a little more Mergana in this chapter but more coming up sooner... **mrlnfan, **thank you for the birthday message! And yes, it's a bit angsty, but I'm trying to lighten it up a bit here... And purely because I write for so many fandoms and on two of them I got some pretty gnarly stalkers and another one I don't use anymore because I'm ashamed of what my eleven year old self wrote (Mary-Sue's man, Mary-Sue's...) Then I have fictionpress accounts and that's where I started off... So anyway, I sort of don't share account names, purely because of that. Also, because I mention my real name on them a few times and I'm sort of... working somewhere where if they found out I was writing FF I'd get into trouble... Don't ask why/how... :) (It's sounds so much cooler/secretive than it actually is. It's honestly because I work in copyright and they disuade us from doing this and look down upon it and I need my job, man) ANYWAY Kay will be more in the next chapter... Swear. Sorry for making the Monday chapter so delayed... Don't blame me. Blame my brother. This was my first birthday combining alcohol, divorced parents and fanfiction. **IndiaMoore, **Yes it was King's Legacy... Thank you! (both for the link and the happy birthday) **Guest **(_Great chapter! Also, are you thinking of The King's Legacy by llLethell? That is one of my favorite series. I would recommend reading it even if that is not the one you are looking for!_) Yes, it was the King's Legacy! It is one of my favourite as well. Thank you very much! :) **WrittenInStone, **thank you very much. I know, I know, I like Balinor. He's cool. He will heal and BAMF!Merlin will come back. Trust me. :) **Pichicha123, **Yes it was. Thanks! **SunnySmile1324, **Great story! There will be more Mergana. Thanks! **TN Sarah, **Lancelot... I like him. Santiago Carbrera is going to be in the new Musketeers TV Series done by BBC... XD Merlin and Balinor... :* **Felicity P, **Thank you for squee-ing... :) More Lancelot ahoy...

**Disclaimer: **(SPOILERS) If I owned Merlin, I would have had the very last scene as Arthur coming back out of the lake in a full hair flick moment... Also, I would have made Colin and Bradley reshoot the scene on the shore of the lake when Merlin puts him down because... BRADLEY MOVES HIS LEG! He's supposed to be dead and he _moves his leg!_ IT'S NOT JUST GRAVITY as my cousin likes to tell me. His leg moves _up hill!_ Gravity doesn't work in upwards motions! GO AND WATCH IT! Every time I do, I start yelling at the TV saying, "HE'S NOT DEAD! HE MOVED! YOU _IDIOT_ HE _MOVED! DON'T SET THE BOAT ON FIRE!_"

* * *

**The Past in the Present**

Lancelot was set up in his own guest chambers for the night after Arthur politely refused his offer to sleep in the local tavern. _They'll eat him alive, _Arthur thought, the boy a scraggly teenager at best. He ordered a servant to take him to some chambers and even make him up a bath, the boys face marked with dirt and, though he would never say it, Arthur could smell the farm on him. Primarily, the pigsty.

No, Arthur would never say it. Will on the other hand, "You reek." he coughed, pulling the hand that was free of Merlin's up to his mouth and gagging.

"Will." Merlin hissed.

Lancelot stared at them, mildly confused then grinned sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I live in Darreth itself. I have not seen the inside of a hut in years."

Merlin frowned, mildly concerned. _Of course he is,_ Arthur groaned mentally. "Where are your family?"

"My family were killed in raids a few years back." he said stiffly. Arthur saw the way Merlin's eyes turned wide with sadness and wanted to hit his own head. He had the look of a child who had found a stray dog and was asking his parents if they could keep them. He _knew_ eventually Merlin would ask Arthur if Lancelot could stay.

Will, being Will and being very much outspoken just shrugged. "My family's dead. I ain't living out on a farm."

"_Will._" Merlin scolded him again but Lancelot just laughed.

"It's by choice." he said. "I live there to protect the people. I think it's an honourable way to live."

"Honour." Will snorted.

"Honour is quite important. It's the highest demand of the knights code." Arthur said, naturally falling into an argument with Will. It had been two years since he'd seen him and they were already snapping at each other. He had to hold back rolling his eyes. _Maybe he'll grow on me like Merlin did. _Though, Arthur highly doubted that.

"I can lend you some clothes to sleep in for the night." Merlin offered the scruff Lancelot.

Arthur wanted to hit his manservant for being so damn kind to every slightly injured creature he met and said, "That will not be necessary." Arthur turned to Leon. "Take Lancelot to his chambers and have someone get him clean clothes for the night and have his ones laundered for the morning. Then take Will back to Gaius. Merlin come with me."

Merlin's eyes went wide for a moment but then he quickly nodded. "Wait. But how's he going to get back to Gaius?" Will asked.

"I'll get back later." Merlin lied and Arthur didn't catch him out on it.

Leon followed orders and Will shot Merlin looks of concern over his shoulder. Meanwhile, just around the corner Arthur let Merlin unconsciously latch onto his arm as they navigated through the dark. "Now I know why I don't take you out at night." he teased. Merlin looked up at Arthur, a little surprised then down at his hand around Arthur's wrist.

"Sorry." He murmured and tried to dislodge his hand but Arthur glared at him. A little confused, he left it.

They reached his chambers in silence, only stopping once for Arthur to tell a guard to have someone prepare his horses in the morning and pack him a bag. Merlin frowned but said nothing until they reached Arthur's chambers. "I…I thought you wanted me to do that?"

Arthur raised one eyebrow curiously then brought their joint arms up in view of Merlin. "How was your first trip around the castle at night then?"

"Oh… yeah." he said sheepishly then dislodged his hand. Without another word he went and started smouldering the flames to keep them burning softly for Arthur. The Prince could see his young manservants shoulders shaking slightly as he worked and had an inkling as to why, his thoughts confirmed as Merlin spoke. "S-So… tomorrow. Darreth… the West of Camelot…" He stood up and faced Arthur, his face questioning.

"You don't have to come, Merlin. Actually I rather insist you stay."

Merlin blinked and looked rather stunned. "What? No. That's not…" he stumbled for the right words then finally stopped his stuttering. "I go where you go, sire."

Guilt churned in his gut as he realised just how true that was. "Not this time."

"But…" he started crossing the room but then paused when Arthur started heading to his desk to find a map. "But you need me."

Arthur scoffed, "Merlin, I'm more than capable of looking after myself." If the Prince hadn't been staring at his desk, trying to find the map of the Lands of Ambrosius so carefully, he wouldn't have missed the flash of hurt over Merlin's face and the way he opened his mouth to tell the Prince just how any times he'd saved him in the last two years.

But the servant merely shut his mouth and focused on the floor, watching it waver in and out of the shadows in his mind, briefly considering that maybe the thoughts in his head were real and he was standing in a make believe world now. Because his worst nightmares were coming true. Arthur leaving the castle without Merlin to protect him… Did that boy not understand he'd never survive?

But going with Arthur meant, not only leaving the safe haven of the castle but the _citadel_ too. He would have to pass through the lower town, down and out across the bridge into the open expanses of the forest where no amount of firelight could penetrate the shadows of the night.

Even at the thought, Merlin could feel things and people creeping out of the shadows and felt cold sweaty hands over him, pulling at him, using sharp blades to tear at his skin. There was a hand on his chest, holding him down and stretching his skin to make sure the carvings were accurate…

"You can't go." Merlin blurted out and Arthur briefly looked up at him as the world rushed around Merlin and he was standing in the centre of Arthur's chambers, watching the Prince at his desk.

Arthur noticed that Merlin's eyes were clear and his brow was set in a determined fashion. For the sake of things he humoured Merlin. "Why can't I go, Merlin? And who are you to stop me?"

"You can't go because even I know you haven't stepped out of the courtyard and training field since coming back. Your shoulder is still far too injured and you're not back to full strength, no matter what you tell your father." Merlin gasped for breath and his hand started shaking unwillingly. Arthur glanced down at it as Merlin went on. "And… and if you want to know who I am to tell you… then… then I'm the one who… who took _lashes_ for you." He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to forget the pain as Arthur tried to forget the sight. Neither of them had really honestly talked about what had happened, not to anyone and not even to each other.

"And I'd do it again. All of it." The younger confessed and realised how true it was. "But… but right now I can't leave and be there to protect you so you can't go without me." It didn't quite make sense but in Merlin's head it seemed fine and he wasn't going to question in. His bottom lip quavered a bit but he straightened up, feeling a lot more like himself than he had in weeks and added, "Sire." Then nodded his head and dismissed himself, stalking to the antechamber just off Arthur's main chamber.

Since returning to Camelot, Arthur noted that in the last hour or so Merlin had spoken more than he had in an entire month. Two really.

He wasn't quite sure what to say or what to do. He wasn't trained to deal with things such as this. Of course he knew people risked their lives for him – he was prince afterall. But this would most likely be the first time in history a royal stuck around to see the damage done in such a personal manner.

And on top of it, Merlin thought he was protecting Arthur? _If he thinks sacrificing himself… And if he only… The idiot!_ Too confused to deal with the thoughts, he decided it was much easier to simply go to bed, turning his head and spotting the small figurine of a bear that sat there permanently.

"Idiot." he muttered again before turning over to sleep.

* * *

Merlin woke up, gasping with his hand on his chest to keep him from lunging out of bed. For a moment he was disorientated and the bricks above him looked like a prison. That was until he remembered that his prison had no light and that he was in Camelot, in the antechamber next door to Arthur's chambers.

It was the same thing he did every morning. Wake from a nightmare, think he was trapped, see the light and remember. He tilted his head back and slammed it against the pillow, dying to know when it was going to end.

In the magic proof room, he had believed that when he escaped it would all be over but this… Merlin left his eyes open, not willing to close them and find his nightmares become daydreams and have himself planted in the middle of that room again.

Looking out the window, he saw the bright orange light that came just before sunrise and soaked it up momentarily before pushing himself up to go wake up Arthur for the day and have someone bring up his breakfast.

His chambers were just off Arthur's and as he opened his door he could see the Prince's desk. Merlin went in further and startled. The bed was empty.

He frowned and looked around to the dining table but that was empty too and his armour and swords were gone. "Arthur?" he called out, but, as he expected, no one replied.

Something inside of him choked up. He couldn't quite describe it but the last time he yelled out Arthur's name without any response he was in the darkness. _No… _There was nothing around him but the darkness, though he could feel something painful scraping down his lash ridden back.

He gasped turned his head to desperately see something, _anything_ but there was nothing. All he could feel was something akin to cats-claws digging into his skin. "Screamer aren't ya?" _Malcolm. _He felt an arm come around his waist, holding him still. His throat _was_ hoarse from screaming. He panted, gasping and trying desperately to wipe the tears with his shirtsleeve but he wasn't wearing one.

"You're… not… real." he panted. "You're not… this isn't… I'm not here." Desperately, he was trying to remember where he actually was but all he could remember was screaming out Arthur's name. "Arthur!" he tried again. _Where is he?_ Merlin dug into his memory to try and remember where he had been just before the darkness hit but the claws were scraping into his lower back now, ripping open old wounds and making new ones.

His scream was ear splitting and he tried to curl away but all he was met with was a stone table. He laid on his stomach, his legs dangling off the edge and the man just behind him, his knees digging into his. "Your little Prince ain't going to save you now. Fact, I'm pretty sure he ain't gonna care once I'm done marking you."

There were more nails digging through his scars. Merlin remembered this. He remembered those words. This was a memory. His screams were choked something was suddenly burning within him. He twisted and tried to cry out but many hands held him down. "The more you struggle, the worse it gets." Malcolm hissed and he was right. The more Merlin moved the more it burnt so he just laid still, staring out blankly into the darkness as the pain burst through the pits of his stomach and left him breathless.

"You're not real." Merlin shuddered as the pain slammed through him again and erupted through his spine. "You're not real."

"You keep thinking that." Malcolm growled. The pain exploded within him, making him see lights but Merlin grabbed onto those lights instead of tried blocking them out. He reached out and grasped it and dragged it forward until he opened his eyes and remembered. _I'm in Arthur's chambers. Where I always am. He's not here. Where is he?_

He looked around and found himself lying flat on the floor, face aching as he must have fallen on it. Blinking to adjust his eyes, Merlin looked around then pushed himself up onto his knees, gasping out. After a moment, he convinced himself it was safe to look up and did so spotting something he hadn't earlier.

After shoving himself up to his feet, he took a staggering step forward towards the dining table where there was a parchment.

_I know you think you have to protect me. Stop thinking that you idiot. Be useful and protect my armour from scuffing. Some of my chainmail needs untangling too. I need to go do this because it is my duty. You need to stay in the castle because it is yours. I told Morgana to remind you to eat. Listen to her and Gwen. See you in a few nights. Arthur._

Merlin stared at the note then went to the window and saw the knights riding out already. "No." He blinked and turned away as the glint of armour in the sunlight and turned to the door angrily. It was a prison. His own personal prison of light almost as horrible as the dark prison where he was forced to suffer. Now he was self-imposing his confinement?

With an angry growl, Merlin stalked towards the door. _No. No more. I am going to conquer this. I am going to follow Arthur! _With those thought strengthening his resolve, he flung open the door and was about to march out when Morgana's face popped out of the hall holding a tray of food with Will and Gwen just behind her. "Good morning." she beamed at him.

"Argh!" Merlin jumped and fell backwards, legs up in the air on the floor.

* * *

The previous night, Lancelot was treated to a bath and sent new clothes, courtesy of the Prince and after the long warm bath – something he had never experienced before – and was given a fresh set of night clothes and his clothes were taken from him to be laundered by a servant. "Thank you." he nodded with a wide smile and the servant looked at him as though he had been dropped on his head as a child.

He went to sleep in a comfortable bed for the first time since he was seven, hand underneath his pillow curled around a blade as was familiar. When he drifted awake just after midnight, something he normally did without reason, he fell back asleep again with ease, not needing to and didn't shift until just before dawn when a knock at his door roused him.

With a groan, he turned over and snuggled closer into the feather pillow and down mattress and willed the sounds to go away. He fell back asleep in an instant but woke up again as he heard someone moving close to him.

He darted up, bringing his knife to the person's neck and only froze when he saw the most beautiful sight in front of him.

There was a girl, maybe just a little younger than he was with dark skin the colour of the dark soft sand that dipped into the lake beside the village he grew up in and her force glowed like the warm hearth of his family home. Her eyes were the colour of the warm woods he played in as a child and her long hair curled down her back and looked so soft he wanted to touch it. His brow eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her and he dropped the knife and she dropped the laundry she was carrying, gasping.

They both stared at each other, too startled to speak until Lancelot cleared his throat in a hurry and spluttered, "I'm sorry. I-I just… I was sleeping and I heard a noise and usually noises mean bandits and…"

"I'm sorry too." she said. "I-I was picking up laundry this morning and I was handed this and they said it was on my way to my Lady's chambers and then I was asked to stoke the flames and…"

"You don't have to be sorry." Lancelot butted in. "Really. I-I don't mind you being here." A red tinge flushed the girl's cheeks and he interrupted. "I mean… It's alright that you're here. You're doing your job. And doing it well. I mean, I think you're doing well. I wouldn't know. This is my first time in a city let alone a castle. Not that I think you wouldn't do a good job or that you do a poor job… I just… I'm a…" the poor boy was lost for words. "I guard a farm."

"I'm Lady Morgana's handmaid." she said, then swallowed, looking between them and shoved out her hand. "Gwen. Guinevere, I mean but most people call me Gwen. I mean, my _friends_ call my Gwen and everyone else…" she realised she was stumbling over her words and cut herself off. "I am a servant here in Camelot."

Lancelot beamed up at her and then realised he was still lying in bed. He quickly rectified the situation and stood but only managed to knock her back. She started falling with a yelp but he darted out and caught her around her waist before she could hit the floor, holding her backwards at an angle. He smiled down at her as she continued to blush, a strand of his hair falling into both their faces as he replied, "I'm Lancelot… Lancelot du Lac."

She batted her eyes a little and whispered, "Nice to meet you."

They both swallowed, staring at each other until Lancelot reminded himself of manners and brought her up to her feet. Clearing her throat, Gwen wiped her hands on her skirt to straighten herself and then smiled at Lancelot. "Is there anything you need Sir Lancelot? Breakfast? A bath?"

"Sir Lancelot?" he laughed, still amazed. "Um… No… I'm no knight… Though I will be." he blurted out then frowned at himself.

Gwen's brow perked up. "You… you _will_ be?"

"One day." he nodded hopefully. "It is my dream to, one day, be a Knight of Camelot."

"One day…" Gwen said airily and her eyes traced down Lancelot's face to his broad shoulders and chest then immediately snapped back to his eyes. "Well then I must call you Sir Lancelot. For only a such a title will do for a man such as yourself."

There was nothing in the world that could wipe the grin off his face and once more the two simply stared at each other in awe instead of speaking. "I… I should be off." Gwen finally said, breaking their eye contact and hurried picking up the dropped laundry and even the knife, laying it all down on the table near the bed. "Or else I will be late. However, if you wish for anything…" she trailed off, eyes wandering over him in slight awe once again. "I'm sorry, you never told if you wished for something to eat."

"I'll be fine." he assured her and his eyes wondered too over her orange dress but deftly back up to her eyes, not wishing to be rude or overstep her virtue. She hummed in response then bustled to go to the door and Lancelot felt his heart jump through his chest at the sight of her leaving. "Um… Lady Guinevere?" she stopped and turned to him, her hand over her chest in surprise. "Thank you for your kind words."

"You are welcome." she smiled. "But… I am no Lady."

"Yes you are." Lancelot bit his lip. "For only such a title will do for woman such as yourself."

Gwen burnt red but nodded keenly and curtsied before rushing out and bolting to Morgana's room to tell her what had just happened. Lancelot just fell back onto the bed and stared up at the canopy, his heart beating at an odd rate and murmuring, _Guinevere, Guinevere, Guinevere, _at every thump.

* * *

Preparing the horses for Arthur was Tyr, a young simpleton who Arthur had trusted inexplicitly with his horses since he was a child. Tyr was a little older than he was and had a deep love of his mother who took care of him and loved him where most would have discarded him as his father had done, taking his older and more mentally abled sons with him.

Despite entrusting all his animals to Tyr, Arthur had been one of the many who had laughed at Tyr, throwing things at him whilst he was in the stocks and calling him names but when Merlin had just arrived in Camelot and had gotten stuck in the stables, a wild horse blocking the door, Tyr had shown his skill in taming the beast calmly and escorting Merlin out. When Merlin had explained in awe at witnessing Tyr's skill with the beasts Arthur had a grudging respect for him. When Merlin admonished him when he caught Arthur teasing Tyr with some of the other knights, Arthur stopped his campaign against him altogether and decided he quite liked Tyr and even got into a friendly conversation with him now and then.

"Thank you Tyr." Arthur said as the overweight boy handed Arthur the reigns, petting Arthur's horse with a gentle smile on his face.

"Most welcome, your highness." Tyr said but didn't draw his eyes away from the horse, almost having a soul-deep connection with the beasts.

"Are we ready to go?" Arthur turned his head and saw Kay staring at him. He looked fairly appraising, looking Arthur up and down as though question whether or not he was ready. Leon was doing much the same except where Kay was trying to mask his concern with indifference to ease Arthur's guilt, Leon didn't care so much and had all the features of a worried mother.

"I'm _fine_." Arthur grunted though in truth he was simply just not thinking about what was about to happen. "Are all the men here?"

"Yes sire." Leon said and Arthur looked over his new battalion of men Leon, Kay, Garreth and Frenwyn were still with him – though Frenwyn had opted to stay behind and take command of a secondary force should the Prince not return by the scheduled time – and now he also had Sir Caradoc – who was a smarmy man the majority of the time – Sir Bedivere – who chose to move from Arnold's men to Arthur's – Sirs Ryan, Reece and Edwin. The boy from the farm, Lancelot, had been given his own horse to ride and, on closer inspection, Arthur saw it was the horse Merlin had grown accustomed to riding when they left Camelot, Lizzie.

"Merlin's not coming?" Kay guessed, also eyeing the horse.

Arthur looked up to where his window would be and shook his head. "He has chores… Let's move out."

He shouted the command and kicked his horse into action.

And then Arthur headed towards the direction of the bridge that led out of the main courtyard and into the upper town. He swallowed and reasoned, he had been just inside the upper town. He had visited Kay early on to thank him for helping with Merlin and they had shared a much needed drink silently over the dining table.

The horses flew down the cobblestones and touched the ends of the wooden bridge, cracking over stone once more in the upper town. He felt his head spin a little at the thought that he was outside of the safety of the courtyard. He could see the barracks just behind him, protecting the main castle with a battalion of guards stationed inside the walls. His heart thundered a little and he turned his head back in front of him to see the edge of the upper town and down towards the markets.

He remembered with a flush his first ever patrol and thought of the words he'd told himself._ Just keep your head down, Arthur and never tell Morgana._ He barked out a laugh and some of his knights shot him wary looks, all of them highly aware that the last gate out of Camelot was fast approaching and that their prince hadn't stepped a foot outside. _You know what. I give out damn good advice._ He stuck his head down and kicked his head into high gear.

Morgana would never know how petrified he was.

* * *

"So… you sleep here now." Will said then threw himself onto Arthur's unmade bed. "Comfy."

"That's Arthur's bed." Merlin said, having collected himself off the floor and was semi-glaring at his best friend. "Honestly, you're going to make it dirty and then I'll have to wash them…"

"Well, according to Camelot gossip, which a _very_ pretty laundry maid informed me of by the way, you don't do laundry. Or get dinners. Or do any of your servant duties apart from, and I quote, 'mope about the Prince's chambers for hours on end'." Will said then received two slaps on his arms from Gwen and Morgana, the latter also yanking him from Arthur's bed and dumping him on the floor.

"Oi!" Will shouted then stood up, dusting himself off. "I'm just concerned." He ignored the girls and turned to the blushing Merlin. "I get all these letters on a weakly basis, learn how to bloody read and then they stop and when I get here, I found out you've been kidnapped, you're afraid the dark, jumping out of your skin at small noises and looking like skin and bones. I think I get a right to worry."

Merlin glared at him. "Well you shouldn't."

"Yes I should." Will said firmly. "Because if it was the other way around, you would. When my Dad died, you were the only one there for me so let me do the same for you and bloody tell me what happened."

"Nothing happened!" Merlin exasperated and he was fully aware Morgana and Gwen were watching the argument, darting their heads back and forth with curiosity. They too had been trying to get Merlin to talk about it, but he would reply with the same thing. "They couldn't hurt Arthur because he's a prince. They hurt me. That's it."

"Alright then." Will said, dusting his hands on the back of his trousers. He turned Morgana and Gwen and bowed. "Ladies. We're going to take breakfast to go. Me and Merlin are going to go explore the forests, just like we did when we were kids."

Merlin's eyes shot open in alarm. "We can't do that." he squawked, then cleared his throat, a little more than embarrassed by the noise he made.

"Why not? You got chores to do? Because last I checked, Arthur ain't here to boss you around." Will crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his foot.

Without a better argument Merlin weakly said, "He left me a letter."

"Too bad. I can't read it. Oh well. Let's go." He didn't move but glared at Merlin, waiting for him to do something. When he didn't shift, the girls were starting to panic, especially when Merlin got that far off look in his eyes.

"Merlin…" Gwen said gently. "You don't have to. He's being a bully."

With a large roll of his eyes, Will cut across. "What about that thing you wrote to me about." he said and Merlin's eyes snapped to him, wondering what exactly he was talking about. "The _thing_. The thing that only we know and what that means for you. For Arthur." The girls looked more curious now, heads snapping between the boys and Merlin knew what he was talking about.

_What about your destiny?_

The thought hadn't been the most prominent in his mind of late, he had to admit, but it had crossed his mind how he would help Arthur if he was too scared to leave his chambers. He had just been yelling to the prince about it the previous night and that morning it had frustrated him beyond belief that he couldn't simply _follow_ Arthur out into the sun and open daylight.

"I… I'll figure it out." he weakly protested.

"Huh." Will sneered. "Never thought you a quitter, Merlin. Didn't think you a giver-upperer."

"Giver-upperer?" Merlin's mouth dropped open. "That's not even a word."

"It's a word." Will defended. "I just made it up then and declared it a word."

"Who are you to make up words?"

"Says the man who invented clotpole."

"I didn't…" Merlin growled in frustration. "Clotpole at least makes sense!"

"More sense than giver-upperer?!"

"Yes!"

"Ha! I may not have books but at least you can understand what the hell giver-upperer means. Clotpole sounds like an instrument you use to muck out stables. How is that an insult?"

"You call me a pisspot all the time!"

"Not the same."

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not!"

"Yes it _is_!"

"_No it's __**not!**_"

"I'll show you…" The next thing either of the girls knew, Merlin had leapt onto Will, shoving him on the bed and the two were rolling around, trying to pin the other down. Morgana and Gwen were too stunned to do anything then both rushed to grab one of the boys to separate them, Gwen reaching for Will and Morgana Merlin.

"Boys, boys!" they started shouting and should anyone choose that moment to walk passed the Prince's chambers, they'd hear quite an alarming amount of screams and shouts despite the fact the prince was supposed to be away on patrol.

"No!" Will shouted just as Morgana yanked Merlin off of Will.

But the damage was done. While Merlin had been distracted by the familiarity of fighting Will, tossing him around and arguing over something as simple as their wordplay, he hadn't had a single thought or flashback.

However as soon as they were disconnected and he felt unfamiliar hands cusped over his arms, holding tightly so he was restrained, he was back in the dungeon, underneath a torchlight burning uncomfortably close, burning his eyes with white light and temporarily blinding him so he still couldn't clearly see.

He gasped and felt the heat making his chest sweat and his scars sizzle. His arms were propped up on wooden slacks, his legs the same but the fire beneath him was already turning his skin raw. He gasped and choked on the flames then felt a foot in the centre of his back, pushing him down closer and the like of a flame on his stomach causing him to scream.

"Merlin…" he heard in the background of his mind.

"Save me…" he begged the voice.

"Ain' no one coming for ya, boy." The man who couldn't say his T's shoved his foot in Merlin's back harder but at the same time, two unseen arms came around his shoulders and another hand slapped his face.

Hard.

He jumped up in surprise and found his gravity turning him onto his back and the shocked faces of both Gwen and Morgana glaring at Will who had a suspiciously red hand to match Merlin's throbbing cheek. "Ouch." Merlin gasped.

Will stared at him. "You back?"

Merlin looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah… thanks."

Morgana wasn't having it. "No one can touch you without you going into a mental fit and he wrestles you to the bed and _slaps_ you and you say _thank you_?"

With a small hand wave, he glanced up to Will and a small smile came onto his lips, the slightly younger boy matching it. "It's Will." he shrugged. "I fell down a hole once and he jumped in after me so he wouldn't be alone. He does stupid stuff like that all the time."

"Watch it…" Will warned, but if the grin on his face was anything to go by, he didn't really care.

Merlin stared up at him and realised that despite his simple explanation, Morgana was right. If Will had been anyone else, Merlin would have been screaming and in a crying heap, but Will had always challenged Merlin. Whether it was with his magic, – forcing him to try bigger and greater things – his confidence, – throwing them into dangerous sitations with bullies and terrain to force him to step up – or with their schemes, – making him read so they could devise more elaborate plans and pranks – he always forced Merlin to be more than he was. And that gave him an idea. "You're right… There's something I need to do."

"What?" Gwen asked, a little stunned, Morgana mirroring her actions.

"Will?" Merlin held his hand out and Will hauled him up to his feet. "We need to go do something."

"Do what?" Morgana demanded.

"I'll be back." he promised quickly, already halfway to the door.

She followed right behind him and Will already ducked out. "But Arthur said…"

He quickly turned around and kissed her on the cheek. Both Morgana and Merlin were stunned into silence by his action, neither of them having expected it. They stared, completely forgetting that Gwen was just behind them, her eyes wide as plates and staring between Morgana and Merlin for an answer. Will stuck his head back inside and grabbed Merlin's arm, yanking him. "Come on!"

It shocked Merlin back into existence. "I'll back." he said again, this time looking straight at Morgana, eyes slightly mooning over her. The door closed between them as Merlin grabbed Will and led him down the halls, determined to get his destiny back on track.

"Uhuh." Morgana just said in his wake, still staring at the door and her hand coming up to cup her warmed cheek.

"Did Merlin just kiss you?"

"I honestly don't know."

* * *

Hunith had searched the entire castle, top to bottom from sunrise and couldn't find a trace of them. A trace of any of them. Not Arthur, not Will, not Leon, not Kay and, most importantly, not her Merlin. Her heart thudded at the thought of her boy and of the thought of the sight of him the previous night.

Panic flooded up in her heart and she made her way down a familiar route from her youth, to the throne room.

Of course, he it hadn't always simply been the throne room.

Hunith remembered a time in Camelot, before the purge and before Uther's tyrannical agenda, when the throne room also doubled as a place where the close family and friends of the King shared breakfasts and feasts before and after long meetings and extensive days of training. She remembered laughter and happiness and people always being welcomed with a friendly smile.

Pausing outside the large doors, Hunith could only feel the same resolute coldness that she'd felt the last time she stood outside of these doors, very pregnant with Merlin at the time and fatigued with the imprisoned journey from Ealdor to Camelot. Of course, upon her arrival she had been released from her chains and Uther had shown her kindness in honour of his late wife, but Hunith had been too far in her hatred for the man to care much for it.

The guards at the door stopped her and Hunith straightened her shoulders and stood just how Ygraine had taught her to many years ago. "I wish to speak with the King."

The guard narrowed his eyes and looked at her dowdy dress sense and hair done up in a modest scarf then raised his eyebrow. "And who are you to demand such a thing, wench?"

Hunith barely flinched. Being a single unmarried mother, she had heard a lot worse. "Unless you wish to receive your head handed to you on a plate, then I suggest you tell the King, Hunith Adhan is requesting his presence immediately and despite my station, he owes me something far greater than a moment of his time."

The guards looked briefly at each other, deliberating whether or not Hunith's word was enough to disturb their king. Finally the guard who had called her a wench went into the chambers and politely whispered into the kings ear. The King straightened and only half listened to the plight in front of him then nodded and murmured something back before waving his hand off.

Hunith, of course, had seen none of this but had been glaring at the young guard in front of her who was starting to look perturbed by her glare. When the other guard returned he said, "The King is at this time disposed to his people and cannot see to you at this very moment. However, he has requested your presence in his chambers and will see to you during lunch hour."

Her rage was somewhat quelled and she just nodded stiffly. "Good. I assume his chambers are still as they were twenty-years ago?" she let the statement hang and smirked to herself at the look of alarm that crossed both guards faces as she sauntered off.

There was an hour before lunch and she used most of it to search for her son but the end of it to change into something less… _peasant _like. Hunith sighed. She had no shame in her heritage. She never had. Her father had made her proud of hard work and knowledge and she'd tried to instil the same belief in Merlin, however his magic often made it a difficult lesson for him to learn, but he did understand what it meant to work hard.

_Oh Merlin,_ she thought of him anxiously and desperately wanted to find where he'd gone off to. Before she went to see the King, she brushed her hair and washed her face, then further smoothed out all the creases in her dress to straighten herself up further and to calm herself in nervous habit.

At exactly lunch hour, she found herself outside Uther's chambers, about to knock when the King himself walked around the corner. She paused and stared at the man she hadn't seen in fifteen years, looking him up and down appraisingly.

Uther Pendragon had not changed since the last time she saw his hardened face, though he had changed a great deal from his grinning youth. The last time she'd seen him, he'd been less grey and perhaps, less round, but other than that he was still the same man that forced her fiancé into hiding and turned his back on all those who were loyal to him. She could still remember Goloris's heartbreak, Ygraine's death, Nimueh's broken features and her very own Balinor's face of betrayal like it was yesterday and a large part of her knew it was all his fault.

Uther seemed to be staring at her in return and if the twitch of his nose was anything to go by, was either less than pleased of who she'd become or was outright disgusted by her presence. "Hunith." Uther greeted her.

"Uther." she replied, with a small nod. He bristled at the lack of title but she merely raised an eyebrow. "Or am I not allowed to address you as such anymore?"

Before he could reply, two of Uther's personal knights rounded the corner and stopped, and one of them caught his breath. "_Hunith_." he said accusingly.

Hunith looked around the King and saw Sirs Arnold and Walden, two men who she also hadn't seen since her pregnancy to Merlin. Her lip twitched a little at the sight of Arnold, wanting nothing more than to slap him, but then softened at Walden who stared at her as though she was a ghost. "Sir Arnold. Walden." she greeted with small nods. "It has been many years."

Walden swallowed stiffly and looked at Uther then back at Hunith, his eyes looking as though he wished to yell at her to run or at the very least grab her and take her far away. They all stood awkwardly for a moment before a servant came passed, holding trays of food for more than one and Hunith darted her eyes back to the knights and realised Uther's intentions.

"Shall we eat then?" Uther asked, gesturing to his chambers.

With a small nod, Hunith led the way, head held high and shoulders thrown back arrogantly, trying with all her might to channel Ygraine and Emelie and all the other noble women she had grown up around. As it were, she paused at the dining table, noting that someone had already come along to close up the curtains that led to the King's bed and set up cutlery and chairs for five. After a moment, Uther decided to round the table and hold Hunith's chair open.

She raised her eyebrow, but nodded curtly as she sat and pointedly ignored – as everyone in the room did – Arnold's gnashing teeth from across the table. She sat then Uther did, and then his knights. It was half a moment later that a knock rang out on the door and the servant, leaving the plates of food behind, went and opened it.

Hunith had a vague idea who it could have been, but when the door opened and she saw Sir Frenwyn standing there, she didn't know whether to bark out a laugh or bury her face in her hands and cry. Frenwyn and his brother Lachlan had always been good friends of Hunith's and she had missed them dearly. "Sire, you called…" he trailed off, eyes settling on Hunith, sitting to the King's right. "for me." His words were muted and he stared at Hunith much as Arnold did.

"Come, Frenwyn. Sit and eat with us." Uther gestured for him to close the door.

He nodded dumbly and did as the King said, ghosting around the table and taking the only free seat, beside Hunith. He continued to stare at her, mouth slightly agape then asked, "What are you doing here?"

Her bottom lip tightened and she briefly looked at the king before replying, "I am here to see my son."

Frenwyn's eyes popped open then he nodded, understandingly. "Of course. I mean… of course." he shook his head then look around the table at the untouched meals, Walden, Arnold and Uther and realised this was all very reminiscent of the years immediately after Uther's coronation. "Of course." he murmured again, still confused.

"Eat." Uther said, picking up his cutlery and digging straight into the food.

Hunith nodded and followed the King's example along with Arnold, Walden and Frenwyn, all four of them unsure as to what Uther was playing at. Wine was being poured between the five of them and Hunith was careful to sip hers to not lose her thoughts, and tried not to meet Arnold's glare from across the table. "So." Uther chewed half way through their silent meal. "You wished to speak with me, Hunith."

She glanced up at Uther and knew the reason he'd asked for his knights presence was because he was too much of a coward to face her alone. No, Uther was a very brave man when it came to battles and never shied away from bloodshed, but talking to any woman with a brain beneath pretty hair had always been his downfall. She actually remembered Lachlan had made a song of it once.

"I'm here, to find out what happened to my son." she said evenly, then looked up at Uther, her eyes appraising him once more. This time, what she found, was a very uncomfortably looking man shifting food around his plate like a child and something in her flared with pride that she could still get such a reaction from him. "Correct me if I'm wrong, _sire_, but wasn't it you who told me I and my child would always find a home in Camelot?" Little did she know that Uther was looking at her and realising where her son got his rumoured impudence, not that he'd ever seen him speaking to Arthur out of turn but he'd heard enough from Cedric to know he did.

Arnold scoffed and his mouth slipped into a sneer, "Maybe if your son wasn't a Dragonlord…" Frenwyn and Walden stiffened but Hunith snapped so quickly, none of them cared.

"I do not have to defend myself to you, Arnold. We have been through this a million times. Just because I didn't marry you all those years ago, doesn't mean you can hold such a grudge."

Arnold scoffed and gained a manic look in his eyes that even the King backed away from. "You think this is because your father _rejected my proposal_?"

"And because Balinor and Ector beat you up for it." Hunith said, drawing back her shoulders and everyone at the table winced at the names. "But before you go on again about me choosing a _Dragonlord_ over _you_, please don't forget I was being courted by Thaddeus at the time and you asked for my hand whilst I was taken. Now I'm sorry that I tainted your honour and I'm sorry that I slapped you in front of the entire court, but it happened many years ago and now I have a son, out of wedlock with yet another man so call me a wench, call me a whore, but do _not_ insinuate my son is anything but that. _My_ son."

The anger in her eyes was very real and whilst it did pain her to deny her son her father, she knew the men at the table and knew the King and knew where her son would end up should they believe anything but the lie. "No one is questioning your sons heritage." Uther said quietly. Hunith looked up at Uther and was a little stunned. "Nor your honour." A small teasing smile played on his lips, a relic of another life. "Arnold is simply heartbroken."

"_Sire!_" Arnold cried out sounding undignified and slightly childlike.

Frenwyn bent his head and snorted into his plate and Walden had his lips in a firm line to not smile. "Now, I do believe you were asking about your son, Merlin." Uther put his cutlery down and looked at Hunith. "He is a brave child."

"I know that." she said, a little perturbed that the man who did not hold his own son for years was informing her about her own. "But Gaius told me what happened. Merlin refused, but Gaius said he treated his… his wounds." Her bottom lip quivered as she remembered Gaius's lengthy description after she insisted she wanted to know everything. "I sent him to Camelot because I believed it to be safer for him. The men in our town wish to kill him for he is a bastard, so I sent him to Gaius where no one knew that. And now _this_ happens to him?"

Uther sighed a little and rubbed his temples. "They took Arthur too."

"They did not torture Arthur." she gasped, and then covered her mouth, closing her eyes at what she said, especially as the King stiffened. "Not that I am saying they should have. I am glad Arthur got out relatively unscathed and more glad that he saved him but… but what are you thinking sending children out to do the work of men?"

"I have told Arthur to get a new manservant, countless amounts of times but he simply refuses and your boy refuses to stop running after him… and into things." Uther added afterwards, a little stunned at how one boy could be so clumsy. "I am sorry for what he went through, but it could not be helped."

"It could not be…" Hunith barely managed to contain her anger. "Uther, you have your seventeen year old son running around with a sword and an army behind him. I know why Odin sought revenge on Arthur, I do keep informed of the happenings in Camelot as I do have many friends and children of friends in the city. You _knighted_ him and gave him his own battalion at _sixteen_. I know Arnold outranks him in the army, but Arthur outranks him in general and outranks _everyone_ but you in fact, but at the end of the day I know that at seventeen, you were still practicing how to swing a sword!"

"Times are different. I had to be prepared for war. Arthur does not."

"He fights your wars every day." Hunith argued. "_Giants_ sent by _Nimueh_? _Sorcerers_ plotting to kill Arthur every few weeks? Did you or did you not attempt to marry a troll almost a year ago?" Uther looked alarmed but Hunith went on and said. "Up until he was captured, he sent me letters every week. I know a fair deal of what happens in Camelot."

"I am a King. A King of a powerful city. What would you have me do? Request everyone stop attacking?" he demanded.

Hunith rested her shoulders back and realised how preposterous she sounded, but she knew that should Ygraine have been there she would have been questioning Uther on the same things. "No. No, I'm not even suggesting that." Hunith sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "I am upset. Forgive me for speaking out of place."

"Why did you come here?" Uther demanded to know. He had been quite patient and afforded Hunith a great many pardons for countless things he had tried listing up in his mind that she had done wrong in his presence, but reminded himself she was the one who delivered Arthur safely into this world. "Why come to speak with me?"

She closed her eyes and sighed. "Honestly? I'm not quite sure. I'm trying to learn who to blame for this and you are the one who offered me sanctuary, Uther. To be a Lady of Camelot and to never have to worry again. I politely rejected because of the obvious," She vaguely indicated to Arnold who sneered at her but was silenced by one stern look from the King. Hunith looked over at him from above clasped hands then asked, "Why are you not offering my son the same? Why is he a manservant to your son? Why is he being tortured for Arthur?"

"Honestly, I don't think we could remove him if we tried." Frenwyn said quietly. "They're…" he briefly glanced up at the king then said, "Close. And currently, the Prince refuses to let him out of his sight for more than an hour."

"So he would know where Merlin is then." Hunith said, gaining more to her original point. "I have been searching for him all morning, and have not been able to find him or my ward, Will."

"Well, Arthur left to patrol the south-west regions with his men after an attack on the farmlands over Darreth." Uther informed her. "And usually, your son goes with him on such patrols."

Hunith's eyes enlarged. "Merlin's gone _where_?"

"To Darreth." Uther repeated. "More specifically, the neighbour town of Gormon, but Darreth is where the attacks have occurred."

"D-Darreth is nothing more than ruins… The dragon…"

"That's when we met, wasn't it?" Frenwyn said, his eyes widening as he remembered. "When the dragon was attacking your village."

"Yes." Hunith said no more of it, not willing to remind anyone that it was in fact Balinor who saved her and introduced her to them all. "And… And Merlin is gone. Again. Gone to throw himself in harms way."

Uther briefly opened his mouth to speak but then thought better of it and shut it again.

"He won't come to harms way." Walden assured her, breaking his usual silence, as always with firm and important words. "Despite everything, Arthur wouldn't allow it. Not again." The King stiffened and looked mildly annoyed but the Knight couldn't care less for his own safety for the moment. "They argue a lot. The Prince and his manservant. However, I have never seen anyone more loyal." He let it hang in the air, not specifying who was loyal to whom, but Hunith understood it as them being loyal to each other.

"I… I must go." Hunth said, standing up suddenly. "I need to… to clear my head."

Uther slid back his seat and looked at Hunith. "I apologise for all the harm that has befallen your son."

"Yes… Of course I…" she hadn't been paying attention and had the slightest urge to ask Uther to repeat himself as she didn't understand. "I need air."

She pushed back her chair abruptly and stalked to the door, feeling light headed at the thought that once more, her child was in danger. She pushed open the door, not caring about the fact she hadn't been dismissed by the King, and stalked off in the general direction of the battlements. She knew where she was going before she even thought of it, and just hoped that they were still as abandoned as they had been when she was a child.

* * *

"One foot forward, mate. That's all it is."

Merlin glared at Will accusingly as he had been every time he said those words in the past hour since lunch.

He stood at the beginning of the hall. The hall that led outside of the castle and into the courtyard. The hall that he'd been avoiding since his arrival back in Camelot because it meant the outside and the outside meant danger and danger meant pain and pain meant shadows and honestly, it was the shadows and the darkness and the overwhelming heaviness that engulfed him when he was unconscious that scared the living daylights out of Merlin. The outside was just an offshoot of that, or so he kept telling himself.

"I… I can do this."

"Of course you can. Now, just do it." Will shoved him forward towards the door and Merlin stumbled then turned and glared.

"I can't _just do it_. I'm _scared_." _Of everything, _he added mentally, trying to shove away the tears that threatened to spill.

Normally, Merlin wouldn't admit this to anyone. He had briefly said something of the sort to Arthur, but this was an outright admission that entailed he was currently frightened of moving his feet anywhere outside of the sanctity of Camelot. And considering he was a Warlock and brimming with magic, that was saying something.

But more of the point was that this was Will he was talking to and he'd seen Will crying, laughing and trying to fell a tree as though it offended him when he was encompassed by rage, so nothing was really off limits with him when it came to feelings. "But I'm right here and we're just going out to the courtyard. I'm not going to let anything happen." he swore.

Merlin glared at him. "Arthur said the same thing and _he_ has a sword."

Will glared right back then inched forward, lowering his voice so only the two could hear. "Yeah, but unlike Arthur, I know about you and your magic and don't care so much if you use it to defend yourself."

"In the middle of Camelot?"

"I'll take the blame." he shrugged. "I can run faster than you."

Merlin glanced down Will's stockier and shorter form and snorted. "Doubtful."

"My point is, you can do this Merlin and you don't need a prat like _Prince Arthur_, saving you." Will spat his name out with vile.

Merlin narrowed his eyes slightly. "You really don't like Arthur, do you? You're tolerating him, but you secretly what to bash his head in."

"That obvious, am I?"

"Only to me."

"He got you _hurt_."

"It's not his fault."

"I fail to see how it isn't." Will said a little arrogantly. "He killed Prince Luka, he gained Odin's rage, he got himself kidnapped on a hunt and he was the one who convinced you to run, thus the fun little map you have on your back."

Merlin was starting to regret the hour after they'd left the presence of Morgana and Gwen where the two sat in one of the brighter hallways in the upper castle where Merlin knew not many ventured through, and told him in great detail with many tears exactly what had happened to him. Will had merely sat there with one arm around his shoulder and squeezed his fingers around his arm every time he found a detail particularly painful to handle. He'd made Merlin take off his shirt and see all the scars and Merlin admitted he hadn't looked at them himself. "I just tend not to look down."

Will had faintly traced the outline of one of the deeper lash marks, ones that hadn't been made in Arthur' presence but in the dungeons. "Merlin…" he'd whispered, in a small amount of awe then made Merlin put his shirt back on before hugging him and let him sob some more.

After washing his face of all tears, Will insisted they get outside and Merlin agreed but it currently led them here, at a stalemate and arguing about Arthur. "He also saved me."

"Guilt complex." Will insisted. "And those…" he lowered his voice once more. "Those magic runes. How do you know they haven't… you know? Made you all…?" he vaguely indicated a hand around his head to insinuate _crazy_ and _mental_ at the same time.

"Do you think I'm…?" Merlin mimicked the gesture back.

"Mate, you're not stepping outside the castle. You've already admitted I'm the first person you told what happened to you, including his royal heinie. You're not a closed off person Merlin." His voice lowered down to the last part gently. "Alright, maybe it's all shock. But have you used your magic since?"

Merlin shrugged. "A little. Here and there."

"Didn't you get sick… you know? Not using…" Will asked, remembering a time Merlin had cut himself off from magic then got ferociously ill.

"I don't know… I was already in so much pain, I couldn't tell it apart to be honest. I was weaker." Merlin closed his eyes then reopened them with a fire blazing inside of them. "Look. I'll figure out my own problems but you need to go easy on Arthur. He's not the same either."

"Guilt." Will sang.

"Stop it, Will. I'm serious. He's not a bad person."

"I never said that. I just think he needs to take more of the blame here. Especially in your head."

"No." Merlin said firmly. "He takes none of it. He blames himself enough as it is. I don't want to hurt him just to make myself feel better. You're right, I'm not this person." he said vaguely indicating to himself. "But I'm not _that_ person either."

Will sighed but at least settled for that. "Fine. Whatever. Don't lay blame where blame is due. That's your prerogative. Doesn't mean I've got like it."

"Agree to disagree?"

Will rolled his eyes. "You can never just grunt like a man, can you?"

Merlin said nothing of it and just took it as Will's answer. He stared at the doors to the courtyard and straightened his shoulders. "I can do this." Before doubt clouded his mind, Merlin walked forward towards the doors, Will just behind him, and flung open the doors, stepping outside.

Almost immediately, he wished he hadn't as the next sight he caught was that of Leon and Kay dragging the unconscious Arthur off his horse and Sir Edwin carrying a bloodied Lancelot and running him to Gaius.

* * *

Balinor had watched the courtyard almost all morning from his place on the battlements and watched and waited for Arthur to begin his morning training. It had become a habit and strangely, it was not one he wanted to forfeit.

Despite the fact he had yet to spot Merlin during any of these training sessions, a small part of him knew that his son was watching and even that act made him feel connected. So he sat and waited half the morning, but there was no training session. A frown had settled on Balinor's face and he stood near the very edge of the broken battlement, going as far as he dared before he fell and tried to see if anything else had changed, but Camelot ran as smoothly as ever.

He tried to think of all the reasons why the Prince wouldn't be in the courtyard and thought that maybe he had gone out on patrol, but he hadn't ever seen him venture further than the inner battlements walls and made no sense of it.

The bell for lunch hour had tolled and Balinor hadn't shifted, waiting for Arthur to appear in the courtyard as he knew he eventually would. It was somehow important that he did and Balinor found himself arching forward and squinting every time he saw a blonde head or a red cape, desperately searching. _If Arthur is not well, then Merlin isn't, _a small irrational thought told him and he found himself becoming anxious.

It was strange how so much of his life now depended on these boys. Strange how he'd gone for caring for nothing and no one, living in cave to a man desperate to spit a hair of a boy he'd only met once and who he had tried to kill, hoping beyond hope to make a connection.

He heard a noise from behind the battlement doors and frowned, pulling his hood over his head and hiding behind one of the larger felled stones. He whispered a spell and the stone shifted slightly to cover more of him and he waited there as the door opened and stared, but nothing had prepared him for the sight.

Hunith stormed out of the castle, onto the battlements, rubbing her face with one hand and gasping in the fresh air. Tears were streaming down her face and she looked around and then collapsed against one of the sturdier battlements in tears.

It had been fifteen years since he had seen or spoken to Hunith Adhan of Darreth, then of Camelot and finally, her resting place of Ealdor. Fifteen years since he hear word of Uther's men closing in on him and tailed it out to foreign lands and distant kingdoms before he once again returned to Essetir – though he hadn't understood the draw he had felt to the country until that moment when he saw _her_ again.

She hadn't changed a bit. Maybe there were more greys to her hair, maybe there were small lines of worry on her brown and in the creases of her eyes, but Balinor swore back to front she had only just gotten more beautiful.

So, it was no surprise that when she caught sight of him, standing up behind the stone and causing her to jump out of her skin, then causing her to almost faint at seeing who he was, that she slapped him.

* * *

**A/N: **Sooooooo... Did you like it? :) There are a few _Letters of Camelot _references in here, but I couldn't _not _put them in if I wanted to keep it in my AU Canon... For the most part, I think you can read around it... Oh... AND NOW YOU ALL KNOW WHY ARNOLD HATES HUNITH! Hehehe...

Oh and P.S. I think I've mentioned the Troll in earlier chapters, but I never added this... because I've mentally planned for this to happen over so many years, I sort of haven't got the time to write all the stories... So pretend that the Troll ep happened between one of the many years and that everyone was just a lot younger... I'll mention it more often when that happens...


End file.
